House Bill 1458, also known as Senate Bill 1809, amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, to enhance 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 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 School Breakfast Program.

The bill also makes specific deletions to existing law, including the removal of certain language from Section 49-6-2303, which clarifies the conditions under which the state will provide reimbursement. Notably, it deletes the phrase ", regardless of its participation" in subdivision (5) and eliminates subdivision (10) entirely. This legislation is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, and will apply to the 2026-2027 school year and subsequent years.

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