(St. Paul, MN) — A Minnesota House committee is working on a bill that would require schools give students at least 15 minutes to eat their lunch, prompted by long lines during lunch periods in some districts. Tracy Area Public Schools Nutrition Director Michele Hawkinson told lawmakers, ” Lunch is supposed to be the time for students to relax, catch up with friends and enjoy a good meal.” Hawkinson says more time to eat lunch is a proven strategy to help students reach their full academic potential. There are still questions about whether it would lengthen the school day and affect teacher contracts, and how special-needs students would be accommodated.