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HB05144 • 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING FUNDING FOR SCHOOL MEALS.

AN ACT CONCERNING FUNDING FOR SCHOOL MEALS.

Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Rep. Moira Rader, 98th Dist.
Last action
2026-02-27
Official status
Public Hearing 03/05
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide details on reimbursing school districts for meal differences beyond federal rates, so this claim was removed.

Act Providing Funding for School Meals

This act provides money from the General Fund to help schools cover costs of free breakfasts and lunches for eligible students who usually pay a reduced price or full cost.

What This Bill Does

  • Provides funding from the General Fund to cover the costs of free breakfasts at participating schools.
  • Funds free lunches for eligible students who normally pay a reduced price or full cost.

Who It Names or Affects

  • School districts
  • Students receiving free or reduced-price meals

Terms To Know

General Fund
A fund from which the government allocates money for various public services and programs.
Reimbursement rate
The amount of money given back to a school district by the federal government for each meal served under certain programs.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The exact dollar amount of funding is not specified in this summary.
  • It does not cover free meals for all students, only those who usually pay reduced price or full cost.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-27 Connecticut General Assembly

    Public Hearing 03/05

  2. 2026-02-20 APP

    Reserved for Subject Matter Public Hearing

  3. 2026-02-13 Connecticut General Assembly

    Referred to Joint Committee on Appropriations

Official Summary Text

To provide funding to reimburse school districts for the difference between the federal reimbursement rate for reduced-price and fully paid school meals.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
LCO No. 540 1 of 2

General Assembly Corrected Copy
Proposed Bill No. 5144
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 540

Referred to Committee on APPROPRIATIONS

Introduced by:
REP. RADER, 98th Dist.
REP. TURCO, 27th Dist.
REP. CONSTANTINE, 42nd Dist.
REP. MORRIN BELLO, 28th Dist.
REP. REYES, 75th Dist.
REP. HUGHES, 135th Dist.
REP. ARZENO, 151st Dist.
REP. SHAKE, 120th Dist.
REP. KAVROS DEGRAW, 17th Dist.
REP. SANTOS, 109th Dist.
REP. BERGER-GIRVALO, 111th Dist.
REP. DOUCETTE, 13th Dist.
REP. BAKER, 124th Dist.
SEN. MARONEY, 14th Dist.
SEN. MAHER, 26th Dist.
REP. GILCHREST, 18th Dist.
REP. GODFREY, 110th Dist.
REP. WELANDER, 114th Dist.
REP. ELLIOTT, 88th Dist.
REP. GUCKER, 138th Dist.
REP. PARIS, 145th Dist.
REP. NOLAN, 39th Dist.
REP. BROWN, 56th Dist.
SEN. SLAP, 5th Dist.
REP. GARIBAY, 60th Dist.
REP. HEFFERNAN, 115th Dist.
REP. WINTER, 94th Dist.
REP. BIGGINS, 11th Dist.
REP. GAUTHIER, 38th Dist.
SEN. COHEN, 12th Dist.
REP. BLUMENTHAL, 147th Dist.
REP. SANCHEZ J., 6th Dist.
REP. GENGA, 10th Dist.
REP. JACOBSON, 148th Dist.
REP. LUXENBERG, 12th Dist.
REP. DELANY, 144th Dist.
REP. CONCEPCION, 4th Dist.
REP. HADDAD, 54th Dist.
SEN. CABRERA, 17th Dist.
REP. CANDELARIA J., 95th Dist.
REP. ROCHELLE, 104th Dist.
REP. MCGEE T., 116th Dist.
SEN. LESSER, 9th Dist.
SEN. LOONEY, 11th Dist.
REP. COMEY, 102nd Dist.
SEN. NEEDLEMAN, 33rd Dist.
SEN. GADKAR-WILCOX, 22nd Dist.
REP. FELIPE, 130th Dist.
REP. BROWN M., 127th Dist.
REP. GIBSON, 15th Dist.
REP. BUTLER, 72nd Dist.
SEN. HOCHADEL, 13th Dist.
REP. JOHNSON, 143rd Dist.
REP. MUSHINSKY, 85th Dist.
REP. MCCARTHY VAHEY, 133rd Dist.
SEN. RAHMAN, 4th Dist.
SEN. LOPES, 6th Dist.
REP. ROSARIO, 128th Dist.
Proposed Bill No.

LCO No. 540 2 of 2

REP. BUMGARDNER, 41st Dist.
REP. GAIEWSKI, 40th Dist.
REP. COLLINS MAIN, 146th Dist.
REP. LAMARK MUIR, 36th Dist.
REP. DEMICCO, 21st Dist.
REP. SMITH F., 118th Dist.
SEN. GASTON, 23rd Dist.
REP. SANCHEZ I., 25th Dist.
REP. MENAPACE, 37th Dist.
REP. GONZALEZ, 3rd Dist.
REP. JOHNSON, 49th Dist.
REP. SWEET, 91st Dist.
SEN. ANWAR, 3rd Dist.
REP. CHAFEE, 33rd Dist.
REP. MARTINEZ, 22nd Dist.
REP. KEITT, 134th Dist.
REP. SHANNON, 117th Dist.
REP. STEINBERG, 136th Dist.
SEN. KUSHNER, 24th Dist.
REP. QUINN, 82nd Dist.
REP. LINEHAN, 103rd Dist.
REP. ANISKOVICH, 35th Dist.
REP. FORTIER, 79th Dist.
REP. DIGIOVANCARLO, 74th Dist.
REP. SIMMS, 140th Dist.
REP. KHAN, 5th Dist.
REP. LEMAR, 96th Dist.
REP. BELTON, 100th Dist.
REP. SANCHEZ E., 24th Dist.
REP. HALL J., 7th Dist.
REP. GRESKO, 121st Dist.
REP. GEE, 126th Dist.
REP. EXUM, 19th Dist.
SEN. MARX, 20th Dist.
REP. SANTIAGO H., 84th Dist.
REP. LEEPER, 132nd Dist.
REP. HORN, 64th Dist.
REP. PAOLILLO A., 97th Dist.
SEN. DUFF, 25th Dist.
REP. FARRAR, 20th Dist.
REP. FAZZINO, 83rd Dist.
REP. FOSTER, 57th Dist.
REP. PEMBERTON, 139th Dist.
SEN. FLEXER, 29th Dist.

AN ACT CONCERNING FUNDING FOR SCHOOL MEALS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

That the sum of ____ dollars be appropriated to the Department of 1
Education, from the General Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2
2027, to provide (1) breakfasts to students at no cost at schools 3
participating in the school breakfast program, and (2) lunch to students, 4
who are eligible for reduced -price meals, at no cost at schools 5
participating in the school lunch program. 6
Statement of Purpose:
To provide funding to reimburse school districts for the difference
between the federal reimbursement rate for reduced-price and fully
paid school meals.