This bill mandates that school boards provide breakfast and lunch to all pupils under their jurisdiction, ensuring that these meals are available without cost or at a reduced cost for children who meet federal income eligibility guidelines. The existing legal language is amended to specify that each school board must make lunch available during school hours and breakfast available before or during school hours, unless the start of school is delayed. The previous requirement of providing "at least one meal" has been replaced with the explicit requirement for lunch, while breakfast is now also included in the mandate.

The fiscal impact of this bill is significant, with estimated state expenditures potentially increasing by between $207,003 and $1,188,627 per year, depending on the number of meals served and the reimbursement rates from the federal program. Local school districts may also experience indeterminable increases in expenditures related to the implementation and operation of these meal programs. The bill does not provide specific funding, which may lead to varying financial implications for different districts as they adapt to the new requirements. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 189:11-a