TX HB3968

Establishes the School Meals Council as a 13-member body to study public school meal programs, with 5 members appointed by the governor, 4 by the lieutenant governor, and 4 by the speaker of the house

Council membership includes representatives from the Texas Education Agency, Department of Agriculture, Health and Human Services Commission, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, food banks, school districts, mental health professionals, and nonprofit organizations

Requires the council to research participation rates, nutritional quality, food insecurity patterns, barriers to implementation, and methods to maximize federal funding for school meal programs

Council must meet at least quarterly, submit annual reports to the legislature by November 1 each year (first report due November 1, 2026), and may hire one part-time employee with administrative support from the Department of Agriculture

The council is abolished and the chapter expires September 1, 2033