SB 18-013

Senate Bill 18-013, also known as the "Expand Child Nutrition School Lunch Protection Act," aims to provide free lunches to more students. Currently, children in early childhood education programs and those from kindergarten through fifth grade who qualify for reduced-price lunch can get free meals. The bill expands this benefit to include eighth graders in schools that choose to participate. It also sets a limit on how much money the state will spend each year to fund these free lunches. Since the bill has been signed, it is now law and schools can start offering free lunches to eligible students up to eighth grade.

Official Summary

Current law creates an annual appropriation to provide lunches at no charge to children in state-subsidized early childhood education programs administered by public schools or in kindergarten through fifth grade who would otherwise have to pay for a reduced-price lunch. The bill extends the grade of eligibility to eighth grade in schools that elect to participate in the expanded program. The bill authorizes an annual appropriation, including a cap on the amount of the annual appropriation, to cover the expanded grades of eligible children. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

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