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SB 204 · 2026 · Senate · Education Committee

Free school meals eligibility

AI-generated

relative to the responsibility of local school districts to provide meals to students during school hours, reimbursing schools for meals provided to students at no cost, and making an appropriation therefor.

Authorizes school boards to raise income eligibility for free school meals, requires the department of education to reimburse schools that do so, and appropriates funds for that purpose.AI-generated

Status

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

Analysis

This bill authorizes school boards to raise eligibility for free meals, requires the department of education to reimburse schools who raise eligibility, and provides an appropriation therefor.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

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

“Each school board may vote to raise eligibility for free meals to 200 percent of the federal poverty level.”
Section 1
“The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sums out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.”
Section 2
“Meals served to students who meet the federal income eligibility guidelines shall continue to be reimbursed in accordance with federal law and regulations.”
Section 1
“Meals not reimbursed in accordance with federal law and regulations shall be reimbursed by the state of New Hampshire at a rate that covers 50 percent of the difference between the federal rate for a free meal and a reduced-price meal, or the difference between a free meal and a paid meal.”
Section 1

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Sen. Donovan FentonDPrime
  • Sen. Timothy LangRMajority Whip

Public testimony

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

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Mar 13, 2025SenateCommittee report: Ought to Pass5–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Mar 13, 2025SenateVoice voteOught to Passadopted
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the Senate
  • Mar 27, 2025SenateCommittee report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1104s6–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Mar 27, 2025SenateVoice voteCommittee amendment 2025-1104sadopted
  • Mar 27, 2025SenateVoice voteOught to Pass with Amendment #2025-1104sadopted
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the Senate
  • Nov 13, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate9–8
    Overall
    53% yea
  • Jan 7, 2026HouseRoll callInexpedient to LegislateAdopted183–161How they voted
    Overall
    53% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    183–498% yea
    Democrats
    0–1570% yea

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 11, 2025Public hearingSenate Education1:34:58–1:48:5013m 52slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Mar 13, 2025Floor debateSenate floor1:05:58–1:06:3638slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass; Ought to Pass — adopted, voice vote
  • Mar 27, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1104s; Ought to Pass with Amendment #2025-1104s — adopted, voice vote; Committee Amendment # 2025-1104s — adopted, voice vote
  • Apr 15, 2025Public hearingHouse Education Funding3:37:03–3:38:351m 32slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Nov 13, 2025Public hearingHouse Education Funding3:25:18–3:30:064m 48slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate — roll call; Full Committee Work Session; Executive Session
  • Jan 7, 2026Floor debateHouse floor4:39:36–4:50:5311m 17slocated in the stream transcriptInexpedient to Legislate — adopted, roll call 183-161

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

Legislative history

  1. Jan 9, 2025SenIntroduced 01/09/2025 and Referred to Education; SJ 3
  2. Feb 11, 2025SenHearing: 02/11/2025, Room 101, LOB, 09:30 am; SC 9
  3. Mar 13, 2025SenCommittee Report: Ought to Pass, 03/13/2025; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 12
  4. Mar 13, 2025SenOught to Pass: MA, VV; Refer to Finance Rule 4-5; 03/13/2025; SJ 7
  5. Mar 27, 2025Sen: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1104s, 03/27/2025; Vote 6-0; CC; SC 14
  6. Mar 27, 2025SenCommittee Amendment # 2025-1104s, AA, VV; 03/27/2025; SJ 9
  7. Mar 27, 2025SenOught to Pass with Amendment #2025-1104s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/27/2025; SJ 9
  8. Mar 27, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 03/27/2025 and referred to Education Funding HJ 11 P. 112
  9. Apr 15, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 04/15/2025 12:45 pm LOB 205-207
  10. May 2, 2025House==CANCELLED== Executive Session: 05/02/2025 09:30 am LOB 205-207
  11. May 1, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 05/01/2025 01:00 pm LOB 205-207
  12. May 1, 2025HouseRetained in Committee
  13. Nov 4, 2025House==RESCHEDULED== Full Committee Work Session: 11/04/2025 01:00 pm GP 232
  14. Nov 4, 2025House==RESCHEDULED== Executive Session: 11/04/2025 02:00 pm GP 232
  15. Nov 13, 2025HouseFull Committee Work Session: 11/13/2025 01:00 pm GP 232
  16. Nov 13, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 11/13/2025 02:00 pm GP 232
  17. Nov 13, 2025HouseMajority : Inexpedient to Legislate 11/13/2025 (Vote 9-8; RC) HC 51 P. 26
  18. Nov 20, 2025HouseMinority : Ought to Pass
  19. Jan 7, 2026HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA RC 183-161 01/07/2026 HJ 1 P. 123

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.