1. a. Notwithstanding any other law, or rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto, to the contrary, a student who is enrolled in a participating school district or nonpublic school and is eligible for a reduced price breakfast under the federal School Breakfast Program or a reduced price lunch under the National School Lunch Program, shall not be required to pay for any such reduced price breakfast or reduced price lunch.
b. The State shall pay the difference between the federal allocation for reduced price breakfasts and reduced price lunches and the total cost of the reduced price breakfasts and reduced price lunches that are served, by participating school districts and nonpublic schools, to enrolled students who are federally eligible for reduced price meals.
c. The Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Education, shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to implement the provisions of this section, including, but not limited to, rules and regulations establishing the schedule for, and identifying the manner in which, State-level reimbursements are to be made pursuant to subsection b. of this section.