Bill > H844

This bill, the School Meals for All Act, requires public school units in North Carolina to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students. The State Board of Education will allocate funds to school food authorities, which are responsible for providing the nutrition services, based on the amount the school would have received from the federal government if all students qualified for federally free meals. The bill appropriates $172 million in recurring funds for the 2023-2024 fiscal year to implement this program, and the State Board of Education can use other state funds if necessary. The bill also grants the State Board of Education the authority to adopt temporary rules to enact the provisions of the act until permanent rules can be adopted.