Senate Bill 740 amends Tennessee Code Annotated to enhance school nutrition programs by requiring local boards of education to establish both school lunch and breakfast programs that provide free meals to eligible students. The bill stipulates that each local education agency (LEA) will be reimbursed by the state for the cost of providing free meals to students eligible for reduced-price meals, after accounting for any federal funds received from relevant national programs.

The bill also makes specific changes to existing legal language, including the removal of certain phrases and subdivisions that may have limited the scope of eligibility or participation in these programs. Notably, it replaces the phrase "receive free or reduced-price school lunches" with "are members of households with an income that meet the eligibility requirements for free or reduced-price lunch" to clarify eligibility criteria. 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, 49-2-114(a), 49-2-114