The proposed bill aims to expand the eligibility for free school meals to include children from households with incomes up to 350 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. This expansion is a significant increase from the current federal income eligibility guidelines, which provide free or reduced-cost meals to children from households with incomes at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. The bill mandates that each school board must provide at least one meal during school hours to every pupil who meets these new income criteria. To ensure compliance, the state board of education is tasked with establishing minimum nutritional standards for the meals and setting income guidelines for determining eligibility.

To fund the additional costs incurred by this expansion of free school meals, the bill stipulates that all necessary funds will be appropriated from the education trust fund. This includes creating a new subparagraph in RSA 198:39, specifically dedicated to funding school meals under RSA 189:11-a. The bill also includes an "open warrant" provision, authorizing the governor to draw from the education trust fund to fulfill the state's obligations under this act. The fiscal note attached to the bill indicates that the state's expenditures will increase significantly, with an estimated cost of more than $50 million per year to provide these meals. The bill does not authorize new positions for implementation but does anticipate additional staffing and administrative costs for the Department of Education, estimated at $339,000 to $348,000 per year. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 189:11-a, 198:39