appropriation; free school meals; ADE

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary lists a committee amendment reducing the appropriation to $1,600,000. However, the provided 'Official status' indicates the bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment without specifying if this specific amendment was adopted in the final text.

HB2579: Funding for Free School Meals

This bill sets aside state money to help pay for free school meals for children who meet income eligibility requirements.

What This Bill Does

• Appropriates $4,500,000 from the state General Fund in fiscal year 2026-2027.
• Sends this money to the Arizona Department of Education (ADE).
• Requires ADE to use funds for free school meals for children who meet income eligibility requirements for free and reduced-price lunches.
• States that lawmakers intend for this funding to be considered ongoing in future years.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Arizona Department of Education (ADE)
• Children who meet the income eligibility requirements for free or reduced-price meals

Terms To Know

Appropriation

The act of setting aside a specific amount of money from the government budget.

General Fund (GF)

The main account where state tax revenue is kept and spent on public services.

Limits and Unknowns

• A committee amendment proposed reducing the funding amount to $1,600,000, but it is unclear if this change was included in the final version of the bill.
• The effective date of the law is not listed in the provided source material.

Official Summary Text

HB2579 - 572R - House Bill Summary

ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th
Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

House:
ED DP 10-2-0-0 | APPROP DPA 15-3-0-0

HB
2579
: appropriation; free school meals; ADE

Sponsor:
Representative Gutierrez, LD 18

Caucus
& COW

Overview

Appropriates
$4,500,000 from the state General Fund (GF) in FY 2027 for free school meals.

History

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast
Program (SBP) are federally assisted meal programs that provide low-cost or
free lunches and breakfasts that meet federal nutrition standards to children. The
Arizona Department of Education (ADE) receives federal funds from the United
States Department of Agriculture, then reimburses entities participating in the
NSLP or SBP for the costs of providing free or reduced-price lunches or
breakfasts. Eligibility for free and reduced-price meals is determined
according to a student's household size and income. Currently, federal law
prohibits a child from being charged more than 40 cents for a reduced-price
lunch or 30 cents for a reduced-price breakfast (42 U.S.C. ��
1758

and
1773
) (
ADE
) (
Income
Eligibility Guidelines
).

The
FY 2025

and
FY 2026

General Appropriations Acts appropriated $3,800,000 for onetime school meal
grants. ADE must distribute these monies to school districts and charter
schools participating in the NSLP or SBP for grants to reduce or eliminate
copayments that would otherwise be charged to children who are eligible for
reduced-price meals (
FY 2025

and

FY 2026

Appropriations Report).

Provisions

1.

Appropriates
$4,500,000 from the state GF in FY 2027 to ADE to provide free school meals for
children who meet free and reduced-price lunch income eligibility requirements.

2.

States the
Legislature intends the appropriation to be considered ongoing funding in
future years.

Amendments

Committee on
Appropriations

1.

Reduces the
appropriation from $4,500,000 to $1,600,000.

2.

3.

4.

---------- DOCUMENT
FOOTER ---------

5.

Initials CH/JD���������������� HB
2579

6.

2/11/2026� Page 0 Caucus
& COW

7.

8.

---------- DOCUMENT
FOOTER ---------

Current Bill Text

HB2579 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
appropriation; free school meals; ADE

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2579

Introduced by

Representatives
Gutierrez: Abeytia, Austin, Blattman, Cavero, Connolly, Contreras P, Crews,
De Los Santos, Garcia, Hernandez A, Hernandez C, Liguori, Luna-N�jera,
Mathis, Peshlakai, Simacek, Stahl Hamilton, Travers, Villegas, Volk

AN
ACT

appropriating monies to the department of
education.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.
Appropriation;
department of education; free school meals; intent

A. The sum of $4,500,000 is
appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to the
department of education to provide free school meals for children who meet the
income eligibility requirements for free and reduced-price lunches under the
national school lunch and child nutrition acts (42 United States Code sections
1751 through 1793).

B. The legislature intends
that the appropriation made in subsection A of this section be considered
ongoing funding in future years.