Reimbursement of school meal delinquent debt program

(a) Definitions In this section: (1) Delinquent debt The term delinquent debt means the debt owed by a parent or guardian of a child to a school— (A) as of the effective date specified in section 2; and (B) for meals served by the school under the school lunch program established under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.). (2) Program The term program means the program established under subsection (b)(1). (3) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture. (b) Reimbursement program (1) Establishment Not later than 60 days after the effective date specified in section 2, the Secretary shall establish a program under which the Secretary shall reimburse each school participating in the school lunch program established under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) for all delinquent debt. (2) Form for reimbursement To carry out the program, the Secretary shall design and distribute a form to State agencies to collect data on all delinquent debt in applicable schools in the State, grouped by school food authority. (3) Completion date The Secretary shall provide all reimbursements under the program not later than 180 days after the effective date specified in section 2. (c) Report Not later than 2 years after the effective date specified in section 2, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress and make publicly available a report that describes the successes and challenges of the program. (d) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.