Montana bill would cover reduced-priced school meals for students

Montana Representative Melissa Romano has introduced LC 1781, a bill which would provide free meals at school to students who qualify to recieve reduced-price meals. 

Students receive reduced-price meals at school if they live in a household with an income between 130–185% of the federal poverty level.

If passed, the bill would expand the number of kids in the state eligible for free breakfast and lunch at school, however it would stop short of providing free school meals to all students. 

If signed into law, Montana would join 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.

Romano sponsored a bill last year that would have provided universal free school meals for all students regardless of their family’s economic status. The bill failed in the House. 

Since the June 2022 expiration of U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) child nutrition waivers that allowed schools across the country to feed all students for free during the pandemic, many states have passed their own bills to provide universal free school meals to students. 

Universal free school meals are currently provided in California, Maine, Minnesota and more. States that have enacted universal free school meals have seen increased school meal participation numbers and some school nutrition operators have also noticed a more positive school culture as a result of providing free meals to all. 

Most recently, Tennessee lawmakers have introduced a bill that would provide universal free school meals to students. The bill is scheduled to be heard in the 2025 legislative session.