The bill introduces a new section, 167.202, to chapter 167 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri, establishing the "Missouri Free School Meals Program." This program mandates that schools participating in the USDA National School Lunch Program must provide free meals to students based on their identified student percentage. Specifically, schools with an identified student percentage below the federal threshold must participate in the Missouri program, while those at or above the threshold must engage in the Community Eligibility Provision to qualify. Under the Missouri Free School Meals Program, participating schools are required to provide up to two federally reimbursable meals per school day at no cost to students, which includes one free breakfast and one free lunch. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will provide state aid for each meal served, calculated as the difference between the federal reimbursement rate and the actual reimbursement received by the school. Additionally, the department is tasked with creating rules to implement the program, ensuring compliance with existing legislative provisions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced (5064H.01): 167.202