Accommodating dietary requirements

Section 9(a)(2) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(a)(2)) is amended— (1) in subparagraph (A)(iii)— (A) by inserting or other medical or special dietary need after disability each place it appears; and (B) by striking or legal guardian and inserting legal guardian, or student; (2) by striking subparagraphs (B) and (E); (3) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as subparagraphs (B) and (C), respectively; and (4) by adding at the end the following: (D) Pilot program (i) Definition of eligible school food authority In this subparagraph, the term eligible school food authority has the meaning given the term in section 18(d)(1). (ii) Establishment Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the Plant-Powered School Meals Pilot Act, the Secretary shall establish a pilot program to award grants to eligible school food authorities to reimburse the full cost incurred by the eligible school food authority of providing nondairy beverages as substitutes for fluid milk under subparagraph (A)(ii). (iii) Priority In awarding grants under this subparagraph, the Secretary may give priority to— (I) an eligible school food authority that serves high proportions of students with lactose intolerance; and (II) an eligible school food authority that demonstrates, as part of the application for a grant under this subparagraph, a need for nondairy beverages for students served by the eligible school food authority due to dietary reasons. (iv) Reports (I) Annual report by school food authority Not later than 1 year after receiving a grant under this subparagraph, and on an annual basis for the duration of the grant, an eligible school food authority shall submit to the Secretary a report on the pilot grant program, including information on— (aa) the number of schools and students that were provided nondairy beverages as substitutes for fluid milk under subparagraph (A)(ii) by the eligible school food authority; and (bb) in the case of the final report submitted under this subclause, the number of such beverages that the eligible school food authority served during the grant period compared with the number of such beverages that the eligible school food authority served during the school year immediately preceding the start of the grant period. (II) Report by the Secretary Not later than 180 days after the date described in clause (v), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the pilot program carried out under this subparagraph, including a summary of the information included in the reports received under this clause from eligible school food authorities. (v) Sunset The authority to carry out this subparagraph shall terminate on the date that is 3 years after the date of enactment of the Plant-Powered School Meals Pilot Act. (vi) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subparagraph $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2026, to remain available until the date described in clause (v). (E) Definition of special dietary need In this paragraph, the term special dietary need means a dietary need that does not constitute a disability, including a dietary need relating to religious or moral conviction..