Massachusetts lawmakers pass budget with funding for universal free school meals

Massachusetts lawmakers have passed a state budget that contains funding for students in the state to receive universal free meals at school this upcoming year, WBUR reports.

The $52.7 billion budget includes around $115 million in funding for the meals. The budget now heads to the governor for approval.

Due to the expiration of pandemic-era waivers that allowed all students to receive meals at school for free, some states have included budgetary provisions to continue providing free school meals.

North Carolina and Virginia, for example, recently passed budgets that include funding to provide free meals to students who qualify for reduced-price lunches.