Florida makes another attempt at universal free school meals
Also in this week’s legislative update: Missouri bill would provide free school meals to students who qualify for reduced-price meals and South Carolina lawmakers look to end lunch shaming.
December 10, 2024
Universal free meals at school are once again in the spotlight this week as state lawmakers work to expand free school meal access for students.
Here’s the latest in school nutrition legislation.
Florida tries again to pass universal free school meals bill
Florida lawmakers are hoping to bring universal free school meals to all students in the state starting next school year.
SB 74 was recently introduced in the state Senate and would provide free breakfast and lunch to all public school students in the state regardless of their family’s income level.
If passed, the bill would go into effect this July and Florida would join other states, including California and Maine in offering universal free school meals.
The state also introduced a universal free school meals bill last year, but it died in the House Agriculture, Conservation & Resiliency Subcommittee.
Florida is not the only state looking to pass universal free school meals legislation next year. Tennessee lawmakers have also introduced a bill that would provide universal free school meals to students. The bill is scheduled to be heard in the 2025 legislative session.
Missouri lawmakers look to cover reduced-price school meals
Missouri lawmakers are also looking to provide free school meals to more students; however, they are not going as far as Florida. Instead of providing universal free school breakfast and lunch to all, Missouri’s SB 131 would provide free meals to students in the state who qualify for reduced-price meals.
Students from families whose household income is under 185% of the Federal Poverty Level qualify for reduced-price meals at school.
If passed, Missouri would join other states, including Louisiana, in covering the cost of reduced-price meals for students. Texas also offers free school breakfast to students who qualify for reduced-price meals.
South Carolina takes on lunch shaming
South Carolina students with meal debt would no longer receive alternative meals under a new bill introduced in the House.
In addition to banning lunch shaming, H 3323 would no longer allow students with meal debt to make non-reimbursable purchases, like snacks, to cash or prepaid accounts. The bill would also direct the State Department of Education to develop protocol around how districts should recoup meal debt from families.
Unpaid meal debt occurs when students have outstanding balances in their school meal accounts.
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Education and Public Works.
If passed, South Carolina would join other states, including North Dakota in banning lunch shaming.
Action has also been taken at the federal level to ban the practice. Earlier this fall, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) reintroduced the No Shame at School Act. Under the bill, schools would not be allowed to publicly identify or stigmatize students who are behind on meal payments. They would also not be allowed to hire debt collectors to go after families of students who have accumulated negative school meal balances.
Read more about:
Legislation and RegulationYou May Also Like