Connecticut will again cover reduced-priced meals at school this fall

It has been busy at the state level this week. Connecticut has decided to continue to offer expanded free school meal access for students in the state and New Hampshire lawmakers have amended a bill that would’ve made a handful of changes to school nutrition programs in the state.

Here’s what you may have missed in school nutrition legislation.

Expanded free school meal access continues in Connecticut

Students in Connecticut who qualify for reduced-price meals at school will continue to receive breakfast and lunch free of charge next school year.

Governor Ned Lamont recently signed H.B. 5523 into law, which will cover the cost of reduced-price meals at school using funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.

This is the second year in a row the state is covering reduced-price meals for students. It also utilized funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to cover the meals for this current school year.

Connecticut is one of a handful of states who have expanded free school meal access for students in recent years. Louisiana, for example, also covers reduced-price school meals for students and Texas offers free school breakfast to students who qualify for reduced-price meals.

See which states currently offer universal free meals via the map below:

New Hampshire rolls back school nutrition bill

A New Hampshire bill which would’ve made a handful of changes to school nutrition programs in the state has been amended in the House to get rid of those proposed changes.

Originally, the bill would have required schools to offer electronic school meal application forms and allow schools to receive extra federal funding if they create a wellness policy as required by the 2010 Healthy-Hunger Free Kids Act. 

It also would’ve required schools to serve breakfast. Currently, they are only required to serve lunch. Schools would also be permitted to offer Breakfast after the Bell, a program where students are served breakfast shortly after the start of their school day. 

In addition, the bill would’ve directed the state to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Pandemic EBT Program which provides financial assistance to low-income families so they can purchase food while their children are out of school during the summer months.

The original bill passed the Senate, but the House Finance Committee Division III and now the House Finance Committee voted to amend the bill to get rid of the above provisions.

The bill has been sent to the full House floor for a vote.