New Hampshire HB 665: relative to eligibility for free school meals.

Bill Text

HB 665-FN-A - AS INTRODUCED

2025 SESSION

 25-0312

 02/09

HOUSE BILL 665-FN-A

AN ACT relative to eligibility for free school meals.

SPONSORS: Rep. M. Hall, Merr. 9; Rep. Damon, Sull. 8; Rep. Luneau, Merr. 9; Rep. Woodcock, Carr. 1; Rep. Colby, Merr. 9; Rep. Newsom, Merr. 9; Rep. Selig, Straf. 10; Rep. Cornell, Hills. 22; Rep. M. Murray, Hills. 37; Rep. Balboni, Rock. 38; Sen. Reardon, Dist 15

COMMITTEE: Education Funding 

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

ANALYSIS

 This bill increases the eligibility for free school meals to household incomes up to 300 percent of federal poverty guidelines, and provides funding from the education trust fund for the additional costs.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

 Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

 25-0312

 02/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five

AN ACT relative to eligibility for free school meals.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 1 Schools; Food and Nutrition Programs; School Lunch Eligibility. Amend RSA 189:11-a, I to read as follows:

 I.(a) Each school board shall make at least one meal available during school hours to every pupil under its jurisdiction. Such meals shall be served without cost [or at a reduced cost to any child who meets federal income eligibility guidelines] to any child whose annual household income is less than or equal to 300 percent of the federal poverty guidelines as updated annually in the Federal Register by the United States Department of Health and Human Services under 42 U.S.C. section 9902(2). The state board of education shall ensure compliance with this section and shall establish minimum nutritional standards for such meals as well as income guidelines set for the family size used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the operation of both a breakfast and lunch program in the same school.

 (b) All costs for the school meals program under subparagraph (a), in addition to sums allocated under RSA 186:13, XI, shall be funded by disbursements from the department of education to the school districts, made from funds appropriated for such purpose from the education trust fund. The amount necessary to fund this paragraph is hereby appropriated to the department from the education trust fund created under RSA 198:39. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant from the education trust fund to satisfy the state's obligation under this paragraph.

 2 New Subparagraph; Education Trust Fund; School Meals. Amend RSA 198:39, I by inserting after subparagraph (n) the following new subparagraph:

 (o) To fund disbursements for school meals under RSA 189:11-a.

 3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.

 LBA

 25-0312

 Revised 2/3/25

HB 665-FN-A- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT relative to eligibility for free school meals.

FISCAL IMPACT: This bill does not authorize new positions.

 Estimated State Impact

FY 2025

FY 2026

FY 2027

FY 2028

 Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

 Revenue Fund(s)

None

 Expenditures*

$0

Reimbursements

Indeterminable Increase - Up to $48M Per Year

Department of Education Positions

$204K in FY 2026, FY 208K in FY 2027, and $214K in FY 2028

 Funding Source(s)

Education Trust Fund

 Appropriations*

$0

Open Warrant for Reimbursements

 Funding Source(s)

Education Trust Fund

 *Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill

 Estimated Political Subdivision Impact

FY 2025

FY 2026

FY 2027

FY 2028

 Local Revenue

$0

Indeterminable Increase - Up to $48M Per Year

 Local Expenditures

$0

Indeterminable Increase

METHODOLOGY:

This bill, effective July 1, 2025, for the 2025-2026 school year, requires that each school board make at least one meal available to a child that qualifies based on a household income less than or equal to 300 percent of the federal poverty guidelines without cost. The implementation of this bill will impact public schools that are currently serving a breakfast and/or lunch meal and increase the number of free meals to students. There will be a fiscal liability for public schools that are currently serving a breakfast and/or lunch meal and there will be a fiscal liability for the state. Ultimately, this bill’s fiscal impact in FY 2026 and each year thereafter is indeterminable, however, it is expected to be significant and would be covered in full as this bill includes “open warrant” language for the Department to draw from the education trust fund to make all necessary payments.

The Department of Education ha