House Bill 12 amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, to establish requirements for local school boards regarding school meal programs. The bill mandates that each local school board create a school lunch and breakfast program that provides free meals to all students enrolled in their schools. 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 deletions in existing law, including the removal of certain language from Section 49-6-2303, which clarifies the conditions under which the school meal programs operate. Notably, it deletes the phrase "regardless of its participation" in subdivision (5) and eliminates subdivision (10) entirely. The act is 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