New Hampshire seeks to strengthen access to free meals at school

The fight to expand free school meal access continued at the state level this past week. 

New Hampshire and Louisiana took steps to bring free meals to more students, while Montana did the opposite. 

Here’s a rundown of the latest in school nutrition legislation. 

New Hampshire bill would allow more families to participate in free school meals 

The New Hampshire House has passed a bill that would raise the income cap for families to participate in free meals at school. 

If passed, HB 572 would raise that income ceiling to 300% of the federal poverty level; currently, it’s set at 185%. 

Funding to cover the additional free meals would come from the state’s Education Trust Fund. That bill is now in the Senate Education Committee. 

New Hampshire lawmakers had introduced a universal free meals bill this legislative session, but was tabled in the House earlier this year. 

Louisiana mulls universal free meals, while Montana says no thanks 

Louisiana is the latest state to consider offering universal free meals to all public school students. 

Lawmakers introduced HB 282, which would require schools to provide free meals to students who don’t already receive them. It is currently in the House Education Committee.

The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education would be in charge of implementing the law. 

Meanwhile, Montana’s universal free meals bill is now dead. HB 863 would have provided free breakfast and lunch to all students in the state starting in July, with funding for the meals coming from a $22 million allotment in the state’s general fund each fiscal year. The bill failed to pass in a 12-1 vote. 

Like New Hampshire, Montana joins Virginia and other states in tabling a universal free meals bill this legislative session. 

See which states currently offer, or are considering, universal free meals via the map below: