S 1420 — Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act of 2025

(a) Program purpose, grant authority and institution eligibility (1) In general (A) Program purpose (i) Findings Congress finds that— (I) eating habits and other wellness-related behavior habits are established early in life; and (II) good nutrition and wellness are important contributors to the overall health of young children and essential to cognitive development. (ii) Purpose The purpose of the program authorized by this section is to provide aid to child and adult care institutions and family or group day care homes for the provision of nutritious foods that contribute to the wellness, healthy growth, and development of young children, and the health and wellness of older adults and chronically impaired disabled persons. (B) Grant authority The Secretary may carry out a program to assist States through grants-in-aid and other means to initiate and maintain nonprofit food service programs for children in institutions providing child care. (2) Definition of institution In this section, the term “institution” means— (A) any public or private nonprofit organization providing nonresidential child care or day care outside school hours for school children, including any child care center, settlement house, recreational center, Head Start center, and institution providing child care facilities for children with disabilities; (B) any other private organization providing nonresidential child care or day care outside school hours for school children, if— (i) at least 25 percent of the children served by the organization meet the income eligibility criteria established under section 1758(b) of this title for free or reduced price meals; or (ii) the organization receives compensation from amounts granted to the States under title XX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397 et seq.) (but only if the organization receives compensation under that title for at least 25 percent of its enrolled children or 25 percent of its licensed capacity, whichever is less); (C) any public or private nonprofit organization acting as a sponsoring organization for one or more of the organizations described in subparagraph (A) or (B) or for an adult day care center (as defined in subsection (o)(2)); (D) any other private organization acting as a sponsoring organization for, and that is part of the same legal entity as, one or more organizations that are— (i) described in subparagraph (B); or (ii) proprietary title XIX or title XX centers (as defined in subsection (o)(2)); (E) any public or private nonprofit organization acting as a sponsoring organization for one or more family or group day care homes; and (F) any emergency shelter (as defined in subsection (t)). (3) Age limit Except as provided in subsection (r), reimbursement may be provided under this section only for meals or supplements served to children not over 12 years of age (except that such age limitation shall not be applicable for children of migrant workers if 15 years of age or less or for children with disabilities). (4) Additional guidelines The Secretary may establish separate guidelines for institutions that provide care to school children outside of school hours. (5) Licensing In order to be eligible, an institution (except a school or family or group day care home sponsoring organization) or family or group day care home shall— (A) (i) be licensed, or otherwise have approval, by the appropriate Federal, State, or local licensing authority; or (ii) be in compliance with appropriate procedures for renewing participation in the program, as prescribed by the Secretary, and not be the subject of information possessed by the State indicating that the license of the institution or home will not be renewed; (B) if Federal, State, or local licensing or approval is not available— (i) meet any alternate approval standards established by the appropriate State or local governmental agency; or (ii) meet any alternate approval standards established by the Secretary after consultation with the S...