This bill mandates that school districts with meal programs approved by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) implement policies that ensure no student is denied a meal due to unpaid meal balances. The new legal language requires schools to adopt a policy that prohibits denying meals, serving alternative meals, or stigmatizing students based on their meal payment status. Additionally, it prohibits schools from taking away food already served, requiring students to perform work to pay off meal debts, and using collections agencies for unpaid meal debts. The bill also requires the Department of Education to pay for any school meal debts accrued by students participating in the USDA National School Lunch program by the end of each fiscal year.

Furthermore, the bill includes an appropriation of $1 for the biennium ending June 30, 2026, to cover the costs associated with the school meal debts. It is important to note that the existing law, RSA 189:11-a, VIII, is repealed and reenacted to incorporate these new provisions. The fiscal impact of the bill is indeterminable, but it is estimated that state aid to districts for unpaid meals could exceed $2.5 million annually, with the Department of Education needing to create a system to manage and reimburse meal debts. The bill does not provide funding for new personnel, although it is anticipated that a new position may be necessary to ensure compliance with the new requirements.