This bill aims to provide an exemption for the continuation of free school meal funding specifically for qualified delinquent meal debt. It allocates $6,000,000 from the general fund to the Department of Public Instruction for grants to reimburse school districts for meal debt incurred between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2025. The funds are not subject to the usual restrictions on unspent funds, allowing any unspent amounts to be carried over into the 2025-27 biennium. The distribution of grant funds to school districts will be based on their prorated share of total statewide qualified delinquent meal debt as of June 30, 2025, with a cap on the amount that can be reimbursed.

Additionally, the bill mandates that the superintendent of public instruction report to legislative management on the continued funding, the total delinquent meal debt by each school district, and the grant funding provided. This reporting requirement aims to ensure transparency and accountability regarding the use of the funds and the status of meal debt across school districts.