HB 2565 Summary

• Establishes the statewide school meal program fund consisting of legislative appropriations, federal monies, and private grants to be administered by the department of education and distributed to school districts and charter schools for free meal programs.

• Changes references from "state board" to "department" of education throughout school meal program statutes and renames article heading from "School Lunch Program Fund" to "School Meal Programs."

• Allows school districts to fund meal programs through the statewide fund, federal contributions, gifts, donations, and school district levies, removing previous restrictions on using tax monies for food.

• Requires the department of education to submit an annual report to the joint legislative budget committee by September 1 detailing funding estimates, actual program costs by district, and federal monies distributed.

• Appropriates $106,000,000 from the state general fund in fiscal year 2023-2024 to the statewide school meal program fund, with legislative intent that this funding continue in future years.