(b) No student shall be denied a meal solely for failure to pay:

• (1) Within the first twenty-one days of the first semester of a school year while the student's application for free or reduced lunch is being processed; or
• (2) Within seven days after a student's meal fund account reaches a zero or negative balance.

(c) The department may adopt rules or policies governing the collection of funds for student meal accounts with a negative fund balance; provided that no rule or policy shall prohibit feeding a student as required pursuant to subsection (b).