N.M. introduces bill to eliminate reduced-price lunch copayments

A House bill has been introduced in New Mexico that would get rid of reduced-price copayments for school lunch, KOB 4 reports. 

The bill is intended to aid families whose income is too high to qualify for free school meals or too low to afford reduced-priced meals. 

If passed, the bill would cost the state $650,000 annually and would impact more than 12,000 students. 

Supporters of the bill say it will help school districts who have accumulated lunch debt. New Mexico became the first state in the nation to ban lunch shaming after signing the Hunger-Free Students’ Bill of Rights Act in 2017.