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HB 665 · 2026 · House · Education Funding Committee

Expanded eligibility for free school meals

AI-generated

relative to eligibility for free school meals.

Increases eligibility for free school meals to household incomes up to 300 percent of federal poverty guidelines and funds the additional costs from the education trust fund.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · January 7, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill increases the eligibility for free school meals to household incomes up to 300 percent of federal poverty guidelines, and provides funding from the education trust fund for the additional costs.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as introduced. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“Each school board shall make at least one meal available during school hours to every pupil under its jurisdiction.”
Section 1
“Such meals shall be served without cost [or at a reduced cost to any child who meets federal income eligibility guidelines] to any child whose annual household income is less than or equal to 300 percent of the federal poverty guidelines as updated annually in the Federal Register by the United States Department of Health and Human Services under 42 U.S.C. section 9902(2).”
Section 1
“The state board of education shall ensure compliance with this section and shall establish minimum nutritional standards for such meals as well as income guidelines set for the family size used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals.”
Section 1
“Nothing in this section shall prohibit the operation of both a breakfast and lunch program in the same school.”
Section 1

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Muriel HallDPrimeDeputy Ranking Member· Education Policy
  • Rep. Hope DamonDDeputy Ranking Member· Education Funding
  • Rep. David LuneauDRanking Member· Education Funding
  • Rep. Patricia CornellDRanking Member· Education Policy

Also: Rep. Stephen WoodcockD, Rep. Eleana ColbyD, Rep. James NewsomD, Rep. Loren SeligD, Rep. Megan MurrayD, Rep. Peggy BalboniD, Sen. Tara ReardonD

Public testimony

No one submitted online testimony on this bill. See the record

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Nov 13, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate10–8
    Overall
    56% yea
  • Jan 7, 2026HouseRoll callInexpedient to LegislateAdopted189–158How they voted
    Overall
    54% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    189–299% yea
    Democrats
    0–1560% yea

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 7, 2025Public hearingHouse Education Funding4:55:43–5:08:4212m 59slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Feb 11, 2025Public hearingHouse Education FundingWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamFull Committee Work Session
  • Feb 18, 2025Public hearingHouse Education Funding1:05:10–1:06:561m 46slocated in the stream transcriptExecutive Session
  • Nov 13, 2025Public hearingHouse Education Funding3:06:35–3:08:241m 49slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate — roll call; Full Committee Work Session; Executive Session
  • Jan 7, 2026Floor debateHouse floor4:28:49–4:39:1610m 27slocated in the stream transcriptInexpedient to Legislate — adopted, roll call 189-158

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 9, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Education Funding HJ 3 P. 22
  2. Feb 7, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 02/07/2025 01:45 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 25, 2025HouseRetained in Committee
  6. Nov 4, 2025House==RESCHEDULED== Full Committee Work Session: 11/04/2025 01:00 pm GP 232
  7. Nov 4, 2025House==RESCHEDULED== Executive Session: 11/04/2025 02:00 pm GP 232
  8. Nov 13, 2025HouseFull Committee Work Session: 11/13/2025 01:00 pm GP 232
  9. Nov 13, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 11/13/2025 02:00 pm GP 232
  10. Nov 13, 2025HouseMajority : Inexpedient to Legislate 11/13/2025 (Vote 10-8; RC) HC 51 P. 26
  11. Nov 20, 2025HouseMinority : Ought to Pass
  12. Jan 7, 2026HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA RC 189-158 01/07/2026 HJ 1 P. 120

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Background reading

Evergreen reading on the policy area — spanning perspectives — not coverage of this specific bill.

  • Summer EBTPrimary source

    USDA Food and Nutrition Service — The federal program, including the streamlined-certification provision the data sharing rests on.AI-generated

  • Summer nutrition programsAdvocacy

    Food Research & Action Center — Participation gaps and why automatic enrollment matters to reach.AI-generated

  • National School Lunch ProgramPrimary source

    USDA Food and Nutrition Service — The free and reduced-price eligibility determination that Summer EBT enrollment now piggybacks on.AI-generated

Documents (PDF)

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