HB05144 • 2026

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 bill text contains a blank space for the dollar amount ('____ dollars'), so no specific funding figure can be confirmed.

Funding for Free School Breakfasts and Reduced-Price Lunches

This bill provides state funding to pay schools so they can offer free breakfasts to all students in the program and free lunches to students who usually qualify for reduced-price meals.

What This Bill Does

Appropriates a specific amount of money from the General Fund to the Department of Education.
Pays school districts to provide breakfast at no cost to students in schools participating in the school breakfast program.
Pays school districts to provide lunch at no cost to students eligible for reduced-price meals in schools participating in the school lunch program.

Who It Names or Affects

Schools that participate in the state school breakfast or lunch programs.
Students who eat school breakfasts, regardless of their family income status.
Students who are eligible for reduced-price meals under federal rules.
The Department of Education and local school districts.

Terms To Know

Reduced-price meals: Meals that cost less than the full price because a student's family income is below a certain level but above free meal limits.
Federal reimbursement rate: The amount of money the federal government pays schools for each breakfast or lunch served to students, which this bill helps cover when it falls short of the full cost.

Limits and Unknowns

The exact dollar amount to be spent is not listed in this text.
This funding applies only to the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027.
It does not change rules for students who already get free meals or those who pay full price.

Bill History

2026-02-27 Connecticut General Assembly
Public Hearing 03/05
2026-02-20 APP
Reserved for Subject Matter Public Hearing
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.