This bill establishes a universal free school breakfast and lunch program for all public school students in Florida, amending existing statutes to define relevant terms and outline the responsibilities of school districts. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is tasked with creating and operating this program, which will provide eligible breakfast and lunch meals at no cost to students in grades K-12. The bill removes previous requirements for school districts to charge for breakfast programs and mandates that all districts implement the universal program, ensuring that all students have access to free meals regardless of household income.

Key changes include the introduction of the "community eligibility provision," which allows districts to receive federal assistance for providing free meals, and the deletion of provisions that limited the implementation of free breakfast programs to certain districts. Additionally, the bill revises the information that school districts must provide to parents about meal availability and allows for offsite food preparation to facilitate the program. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S 74 Filed: 595.402, 595.405, 595.404