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HB05537 • 2026

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY WAYS TO FUND A UNIVERSAL FREE SCHOOL MEALS PROGRAM.

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY WAYS TO FUND A UNIVERSAL FREE SCHOOL MEALS PROGRAM.

Children Education Taxes
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee
Last action
2026-04-15
Official status
File Number 643
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary text mentions imposing a tax on sweetened beverages to fund the program, while the bill title and main text focus only on studying ways to fund it. The explanation reflects that the study includes examining this specific tax as one possible option.

Bill to Create a Group That Studies Funding for Free School Meals

This law creates a working group to study how to pay for free breakfasts and lunches for all public school students.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a new working group to find ways to fund universal free school meals.
  • Requires the group to calculate how much money is needed for the program.
  • Asks the group to look at possible funding sources, including taxes or fees on sweetened beverages, syrups, and powders.
  • Sets rules for how funds would be given to schools if a plan is approved.
  • Orders the working group to submit a final report with recommendations by January 1, 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Chairpersons of General Assembly committees on finance, education, children, and public health who serve as members or chairs.
  • Representatives from public schools and local or regional boards of education appointed to the group.
  • Public health or nutrition experts appointed to join the group.
  • The administrative staff of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee.

Terms To Know

Working Group
A temporary team created by law to study a specific topic and make recommendations.
Universal Free School Meals Program
A plan where all public school students get free breakfasts and lunches, regardless of their family income.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill only creates a study group; it does not start the meal program or collect any taxes yet.
  • The final report is due by January 1, 2027, but no specific funding plan has been decided.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-15 LCO

    Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office

  2. 2026-04-15 Connecticut General Assembly

    Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, House

  3. 2026-04-15 Connecticut General Assembly

    House Calendar Number 434

  4. 2026-04-15 LCO

    File Number 643

  5. 2026-04-09 LCO

    Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/14/26 5:00 PM

  6. 2026-04-01 LCO

    Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office

  7. 2026-03-30 FIN

    Joint Favorable Substitute

  8. 2026-03-12 Connecticut General Assembly

    Public Hearing 03/16

  9. 2026-03-11 Connecticut General Assembly

    Referred to Joint Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding

Official Summary Text

To impose a tax on certain sweetened beverages, syrups and powders and dedicate the revenue generated to a universal free school meals program to reimburse local and regional boards of education for the provision of free school breakfasts and lunches to all public school students.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
House of Representatives
sHB5537 / File No. 643 1

General Assembly File No. 643
February Session, 2026 Substitute House Bill No. 5537

House of Representatives, April 15, 2026

The Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding reported
through REP. HORN of the 64th Dist., Chairperson of the
Committee on the part of the House, that the substitute bill
ought to pass.

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY WAYS TO
FUND A UNIVERSAL FREE SCHOOL MEALS PROGRAM.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. ( Effective from passage ) (a) There is established a working 1
group to study ways to fund a universal free school meals program that 2
would assist public schools to provide free breakfasts and lunches to all 3
public school students. The study shall examine (1) the amount of 4
funding projected to be required for such program, (2) possible sources 5
for funding, including, but not limited to, the imposition of a dedicated 6
tax or fee, (3) the parameters for the establishment of such program and 7
for disbursement of funds, and (4) any other matters relevant to the 8
establishment or funding of such program. 9
(b) The working group shall consist of (1) the chairpersons of the joint 10
standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of 11
matters relating to finance, revenue and bonding, education, children 12
and public health, (2) representatives of public schools and local or 13
sHB5537 File No. 643

sHB5537 / File No. 643 2

regional boards of education, (3) public health or nutrition experts, and 14
(4) any other individuals or entities the chairpersons deem desirable or 15
necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. The members set 16
forth in subdivisions (2) to (4), inclusive, of this subsection shall be 17
appointed by the chairpersons of the joint standing committee of the 18
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to finance, 19
revenue and bonding, not later than thirty days after the effective date 20
of this section. 21
(c) The chairpersons of the joint standing committee of the General 22
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to finance, revenue and 23
bonding shall serve as the chairpersons of the working group and shall 24
schedule the first meeting of the working group, which shall be held not 25
later than sixty days after the effective date of this section. 26
(d) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the 27
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to finance, 28
revenue and bonding shall serve as administrative staff of the working 29
group. 30
(e) Not later than January 1, 2027, the working group shall submit a 31
report on its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly, 32
in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. 33
The working group shall terminate on the date that it submits such 34
report or January 1, 2027, whichever is later. 35
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 from passage New section

FIN Joint Favorable Subst.

sHB5537 File No. 643

sHB5537 / File No. 643 3

The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of
the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not
represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general,
fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final
products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill has no fiscal impact by establishing a working group to study
ways to fund a universal free school meals program . It is anticipated
that members of the working group have the expertise or will consult
with experts as needed to complete the study within existing resources.
The Out Years
State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None

sHB5537 File No. 643

sHB5537 / File No. 643 4

OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 5537

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY WAYS TO
FUND A UNIVERSAL FREE SCHOOL MEALS PROGRAM.

SUMMARY
The Office of Legislative Research does not analyze Special Acts.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 36 Nay 18 (03/30/2026)