This bill mandates the Department of Education to adopt rules requiring school districts to provide both online and physical applications for free or reduced-price school meals. It stipulates that the Department will offer administrative and technical assistance to school districts that are approved to operate federal school meal programs through the United States Department of Agriculture. The new legal language inserted into RSA 189:11-a includes a provision for the Department to assist in establishing these applications, while no deletions from current law are noted in the text provided.

Additionally, the bill includes appropriations from the general fund amounting to $102,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, and $104,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, to establish a position within the Department of Education to oversee the implementation of this act. Furthermore, it allocates $1,000,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2027, to provide software to school districts for the online application process. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 189:11-a
HB646 text: 189:11-a