SB 109: Provide no-cost breakfast and lunch to students
This bill aims to provide free breakfast and lunch to public and chartered nonpublic school students who are eligible for reduced-price meals. The state will reimburse schools for the difference between the federal reimbursement rates and the actual costs of providing meals. The reimbursement amounts will be used to support the schools in covering the costs of breakfast and lunch for eligible students. The bill also repeals existing sections of the code related to school meal programs and appropriates funds for this purpose.
| Feb. 19, 2025 | Referred to committee: Finance |
| Feb. 18, 2025 | Introduced |
As Introduced
136th General Assembly Regular Session 2025-2026
S. B. No. 109
Senators Blessing, Smith
To amend sections 3301.91 and 3313.819 of the 1
Revised Code to provide breakfast and lunch at 2
no cost to public and chartered nonpublic school 3
students, and to make an appropriation. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That sections 3301.91 and 3313.819 of the 5
Revised Code be amended to read as follows: 6
Sec. 3301.91. (A) As used in this section:
(1) "National school breakfast program" means the federal 8
school breakfast program created under 42 U.S.C. 1773. 9
(2) "National school lunch program" means the federal 10
school lunch program created under 42 U.S.C. 1751. 11
(3) "Public school" means a school building operated by a 12
school district, a community school established under Chapter 13
3314. of the Revised Code, a STEM school established under 14
Chapter 3326. of the Revised Code, a building operated by an 15
educational service center, a special education program operated 16
by the county board of developmental disabilities under section 17
3323.09 of the Revised Code, or a facility offering juvenile day 18
treatment services. 19
S. B. No. 109 As Introduced
(B) The department of education and workforce shall 20
reimburse each public and chartered nonpublic school that 21
participates in the national school breakfast program, from 22
funds appropriated by the general assembly for that purpose, an 23
amount equal to the sum of the following: 24
(1) The difference between the federal free reimbursement 25
rate and the federal reimbursement for a reduced-price breakfast 26
for each student eligible for a reduced-price breakfast and 27
receiving breakfast; 28
(2) The difference between the federal free reimbursement 29
rate and the federal reimbursement for a paid breakfast for each 30
student receiving breakfast who does not qualify for free or 31
reduced-price breakfast. 32
(C) The department shall reimburse each public school and 33
chartered nonpublic school that participates in the national 34
school lunch program, from funds appropriated by the general 35
assembly for that purpose, an amount equal to the sum of the 36
following: 37
(1) The difference between the federal free reimbursement 38
rate and the federal reimbursement for a reduced-price lunch for 39
each student eligible for a reduced-price lunch and receiving 40
lunch; 41
(2) The difference between the federal free reimbursement 42
rate and the federal reimbursement for a paid lunch for each 43
student receiving lunch who does not qualify for free or 44
reduced-price lunch. 45
Sec. 3313.819. (A) As used in this section, "national 46
school breakfast program," "national school lunch program," and 47
"public school" all have the same meanings as in section 3301.91 48
S. B. No. 109 As Introduced
of the Revised Code. 49
(B) A public or chartered nonpublic school that 50
participates in the national school breakfast program shall 51
provide each student eligible for a reduced-price breakfast a 52
breakfast at no cost to the student. 53
A public or chartered nonpublic school that participates 54
in the national school lunch program shall provide each student 55
eligible for a reduced-price lunch a lunch at no cost to the 56
student. 57
Section 2. That existing sections 3301.91 and 3313.819 of 58
the Revised Code are hereby repealed. 59
Section 3. All items in this act are hereby appropriated 60
as designated out of any moneys in the state treasury to the 61
credit of the designated fund. For all operating appropriations 62
made in this act, those in the first column are for fiscal year 63
2026 and those in the second column are for fiscal year 2027. 64
The operating appropriations made in this act are in addition to 65
any other operating appropriations made for these fiscal years. 66
Section 4. 67
68
1 2 3 4 5 A EDU DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE B General Revenue Fund C GRF 200505 School Meal Programs \$300,000,000 \$300,000,000 D TOTAL GRF General Revenue Fund \$300,000,000 \$300,000,000
S. B. No. 109 As Introduced
E TOTAL ALL BUDGET FUND GROUPS \$300,000,000 \$300,000,000
SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAMS 69
The foregoing appropriation item 200505, School Meal 70
Programs, shall be used to support the reimbursements required 71
by divisions (B)(2) and (C)(2) of section 3301.91 of the Revised 72
Code. 73
Section 5. Within the limits set forth in this act, the 74
Director of Budget and Management shall establish accounts 75
indicating the source and amount of funds for each appropriation 76
made in this act, and shall determine the manner in which 77
appropriation accounts shall be maintained. Expenditures from 78
operating appropriations contained in this act shall be 79
accounted for as though made in, and are subject to all 80
applicable provisions of, the main operating appropriations act 81
of the 136th General Assembly. 82