House Bill 12, sponsored by Clemmons, amends Tennessee Code Annotated regarding school meal programs. The bill mandates that each local school board establish both a school lunch and breakfast program that provides free meals to all enrolled students. Additionally, it stipulates that the state will reimburse local education agencies (LEAs) for the costs of these free meals after accounting for any federal funds received from programs such as the National School Lunch Program and the Child Nutrition Act.

The bill also makes specific amendments to existing law by deleting certain language from Section 49-6-2303, including the phrase "regardless of its participation" in subdivision (5) and the entirety of subdivision (10). The changes are set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and will apply to the 2025-2026 school year and subsequent years.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-6-2302, 49-6-2303