Bill > H713

This bill mandates that all public school units in North Carolina provide free breakfast and lunch to students, with comprehensive provisions for implementing universal free meals. The bill requires school food authorities to offer two meals daily at no cost to students, aligning with federal nutrition guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The State Board of Education is tasked with allocating funds to school food authorities, using a complex evaluation method that considers factors such as school size, student eligibility for free or reduced-price lunches, prior year expenditures, food quality, use of local food sources, and overall nutrition service effectiveness. The bill applies to all public schools, including traditional public schools, charter schools, regional schools, and laboratory schools. To fund this initiative, the state will appropriate $144 million in recurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, with provisions to use additional State Aid for Public Schools funds if needed. The legislation ensures that schools must participate in federal nutrition programs like the National School Lunch Program and, where eligible, the Community Eligibility Provision Program. Importantly, the bill specifies that these allocated funds shall supplement, not replace, existing nutrition service funding, ensuring a genuine expansion of free meal services.

Government Affairs

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/H713