The proposed legislation establishes a "healthy school meals for all" program in Rhode Island, aimed at providing universal breakfast and lunch to all public school students. The program will be phased in over three years, beginning in the 2027-2028 school year with all public elementary schools required to make breakfasts and lunches available to elementary students. In the 2028-2029 school year, the program will expand to include all public elementary and secondary schools, providing meals to elementary and middle school (through grade 8) students. By the 2029-2030 school year, all public elementary and secondary schools will be required to provide breakfasts and lunches to all students, including high school students, in accordance with rules set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture and adopted by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Schools participating in this program will be required to provide breakfast and lunch without charge to all enrolled students every school day. Public educational entities will seek to achieve high levels of student participation through various strategies, including providing breakfast meals for consumption outside the cafeteria, making breakfast available in classrooms, collaborating with health and wellness subcommittees, and ensuring lunch periods of at least twenty minutes.

The legislation also mandates that public educational entities maximize access to federal funds for the school breakfast and lunch program by participating in federal programs such as the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and the Community Eligibility Provision. Additionally, entities are required to improve meal quality by complying with state-specific nutrition requirements, purchasing locally grown food items, freshly preparing scratch-cooked foods, and providing culturally relevant meals.

Public educational entities must report quarterly to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on their use of locally grown food items in the operation of their school breakfast and lunch programs. The Department will reimburse these entities for the difference between the federal free reimbursement rate and the federal reimbursement rate received for each meal served.

The General Assembly is required to make annual appropriations to support the program, including funding for a full-time equivalent employee at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to aid in the administration and implementation of the program. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2027.