1. Short title This Act may be cited as the School Hunger Elimination Act of 2019 . 2. Mandatory direct certification Section 9(b)(5) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(5) ) is amended— (1) in the paragraph heading, by striking Discretionary certification and inserting Direct certification of additional low-income children ; and (2) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking may and inserting shall . 3. Retroactive reimbursement Section 9(b)(9) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(9) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (D) Retroactive reimbursement (i) Definitions In this subparagraph: (I) Change in eligibility The term change in eligibility means, with respect to eligibility for the school lunch program under this Act— (aa) a change from eligibility for reduced price meals to eligibility for free meals; and (bb) a change from noneligibility to eligibility for free or reduced price meals. (II) Meal claim The term meal claim means any documentation provided by a school food authority to a State agency in order to receive reimbursement under this Act for the cost of a meal served to a child by the school food authority. (III) Previously submitted The term previously submitted , with respect to a meal claim, means a meal claim submitted on or after the retroactive date. (IV) Retroactive date The term retroactive date means the first day of the current school year. (ii) Retroactivity (I) Submission of meal claims A local educational agency shall— (aa) revise and resubmit a previously submitted meal claim to reflect a change in eligibility described in subclause (i)(I)(aa) of a child