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HB 646 · 2025 · House · Education Funding Committee

Online free school meal applications

AI-generated

requiring school districts to establish an online application for participation in the free and reduced price meal program.

Directs the department of education to adopt rules requiring school districts to offer online and physical applications for free or reduced price school meals and provides administrative and technical assistance, with an appropriation for this purpose.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · March 13, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill directs the department of education to adopt rules to require school districts to offer online and physical free or reduced price school meals applications. It also requires the department to provide administrative and technical assistance to districts for this purpose and makes an appropriation therefor.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Laura TelerskiDPrimeDeputy Democratic Leader
  • Rep. Christine SeibertDRanking Member· State, Federal, and Veterans Affairs

Also: Rep. Cassandra LevesqueD, Rep. Toni WeinsteinD, Rep. Lee Ann KlugerD, Rep. Megan MurrayD, Sen. Pat LongD

Public testimony

262 signed in online · 47 wrote testimony

97% support3% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“This bill will help expand access to free and reduced price meals at our local schools. For families of lower income, this type of meal program makes a big difference in whether they can make ends meet each month, including whether they can afford their rent.…”
— Carmen Lorentz, Laconia · Lakes Region Community Developerssupports
“Online applications would make it easier for the applicant as well as the deptartment of ed.”
— Heather Gollnick, GOFFSTOWNsupports
“HB 646 will ease school/parent communication, avoid lost forms and save trees.”
— Michael Cahill, Newmarket · Rockingham 10 Newfields, Newmarketsupports
“This bill puts parents who are careful in their vaccination decision making who reject one or more doses of vaccines at risk of being declared "neglectful". This bill also puts parents who reject gender ideology to protect their child from harmful transgender drugs and…”
— Laura Condon, BEDFORDopposes

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Hearings

  • 2025-01-2810:00 amHouse Education FundingLOB 205-207Public hearing
  • 2025-02-1112:45 pmHouse Education FundingLOB 205-207Public hearing
  • 2025-02-1810:30 amHouse Education FundingLOB 205-207Public hearing

Legislative history

  1. Jan 9, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Education Funding HJ 3 P. 21
  2. Jan 28, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 01/28/2025 01:00 pm LOB 205-207
  3. Feb 11, 2025HouseFull Committee Work Session: 02/11/2025 12:45 pm LOB 205-207
  4. Feb 18, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 02/18/2025 10:30 am LOB 205-207
  5. Feb 18, 2025HouseMajority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/18/2025 (Vote 10-8; RC)
  6. Mar 3, 2025HouseMinority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0453h
  7. Mar 13, 2025HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA RC 209-165 03/13/2025 HJ 8 P. 52

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.