School Breakfast for All.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 774

Short Title: School Breakfast for All. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Biggs, Lambeth, Pickett, and Cotham (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Education - K-12, if favorable, Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and
Operations of the House
April 7, 2025
*H774-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO PROVIDE BREAKFAST TO PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS AT NO COST TO 2
THE STUDENTS AND TO ESTABLISH THE FARM-TO-TABLE INITIATIVE. 3
Whereas, one in five kids goes hungry every day in North Carolina, putting them at 4
risk of poor health and educational outcomes; and 5
Whereas, hunger negatively impacts a child's ability to learn, concentrate, and 6
perform well in school; and 7
Whereas, research shows that students who eat a nutritious breakfast demonstrate 8
higher academic achievement, improved behavior, and increased school attendance; and 9
Whereas, the economic benefits of school breakfast at no cost to the student and 10
family include reduced absenteeism, lower healthcare costs, and long -term workforce 11
productivity; and 12
Whereas, North Carolina is home to a rich agricultural industry, and sourcing locally 13
grown fruits, vegetables, dairy, and proteins for school meals stimulates economic growth in 14
rural communities; and 15
Whereas, partnerships between schools, farmers, and food distributors create ne w 16
market opportunities for North Carolina's agricultural sector while ensuring students receive 17
nutritious meals; and 18
Whereas, funding and policy support within School Breakfast for All legislation 19
would align with North Carolina's goals for economic susta inability, public health, and student 20
success; Now, therefore, 21
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 22
SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 115C-263(a) reads as rewritten: 23
"(a) As a part of the function of the public school system, local boards of education public 24
school units shall have a school food authority to provide to the extent practicable school nutrition 25
services in the schools under their jurisdiction. The school food authority shall provide breakfast 26
service at no cost to students in accordance with G.S. 115C-263.5 and may offer other nutrition 27
services to the extent practicable. All school nutrition services made available under this authority 28
shall be provided in accordance with federal guidelines established by the Food and Nutrition 29
Service of the United States Department of Agriculture." 30
SECTION 1.(b) Part 2 of Article 17 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is 31
amended by adding a new section to read: 32
"§ 115C-263.5. Universal breakfast program. 33
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 774-First Edition
(a) To the exten t funds are made available for the purpose, t he Department of Public 1
Instruction shall allocate sufficient funds to public schools to provide breakfast at no cost to 2
students attending the school in prekindergarten through grade 12 who elect to receive breakfast. 3
State and federal reimb ursements for the universal breakfast program shall not exceed one 4
hundred percent (100%) of the federal free rate of meals served. These funds shall supplement 5
and not supplant any federal funds provided for the same purposes. 6
(b) Schools are encouraged to implement innovative breakfast service models, including 7
breakfast in the classroom, grab-and-go breakfast, and second chance breakfast. 8
(c) No later than February 15 of each year that funds are made available for purposes of 9
this section, the Department of Public Instruction shall report to the Joint Legislative Education 10
Oversight Committee, at a minimum, on participation rates, costs, and program effectiveness as 11
measured by impact on student health, academic performance, and overall school participation." 12
SECTION 1.(c) G.S. 115C-264 reads as rewritten: 13
"§ 115C-264. Operation. 14
(a) Local boards of education operating school nutrition programs shall participate in the 15
federal School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program established by the federal 16
government. and, if eligible, the Community Eligibility Provision Program. School nutrition 17
programs shall be under the jurisdiction of the Division of School N utrition of the Department 18
of Public Instruction. 19
… 20
(c) All school nutrition services shall be operated on a nonprofit basis, and any earnings 21
therefrom over and above the cost of operation as defined herein shall be used to reduce the cost 22
of food, to serve more nutritious food, or to provide free or reduced-price meals to economically 23
disadvantaged children and for no other purpose. The term "cost of operation" means the actual 24
cost incurred in the purchase and preparation of food, the salaries of all per sonnel directly 25
engaged in providing nutrition services, and the cost of nonfood supplies as outlined under 26
standards adopted by the State Board of Education. "Personnel" means school nutrition 27
supervisors or directors, bookkeepers or other staff directly engaged in nutrition services record 28
keeping, and those persons directly involved in preparing and serving food. School nutrition 29
personnel shall be paid from the funds of the school nutrition program only for services rendered 30
on behalf of the school nutrition program. Any cost incurred in the provisions and maintenance 31
of school nutrition services over and beyond the cost of operation shall be included in the budget 32
request filed annually by local boards of education with boards of county commissioners. L ocal 33
boards of education are not required to comply with G.S. 115C-522(a) in the purchase of supplies 34
and food for such school nutrition services. 35
…." 36
SECTION 1.(d) Part 2 of Article 17 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is 37
amended by adding a new section to read: 38
"§ 115C-264.6. Farm-to-table initiative. 39
(a) The Department of Public Instruction shall develop a farm -to-table initiative to 40
incorporate locally sourced and fresh ingredients into the universal breakfast program under 41
G.S. 115C-263.5. 42
(b) Schools s hall be encouraged to partner with local farmers and food producers to 43
procure fresh, seasonal, and nutritional food options. 44
(c) The initiative shall provide education opportunities for students to learn about 45
agriculture, nutrition, and sustainable food systems." 46
SECTION 2.(a) G.S. 115C-150.14 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 47
"(a1) A school governed by this Article shall provide school n utrition services in 48
accordance with Part 2 of Article 17 of this Chapter." 49
SECTION 2.(b) G.S. 115C-218.75 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 50
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 774-First Edition Page 3
"(p) A charter school shall provide school nutrition services in accordance with Part 2 of 1
Article 17 of this Chapter." 2
SECTION 2.(c) G.S. 115C-238.72(b) reads as rewritten: 3
"(b) Food Nutrition Service. – The local school administrative unit identified by resolution 4
shall provide, to the extent practicable, school food provide school nutrition services to the 5
regional school. school in accordance with Part 2 of Article 17 of this Chapter . For purposes of 6
federal funding through the National School Lunch Program or other federally supported food 7
nutrition service programs, the local school administrative unit identified by resolution shall be 8
permitted to include eligible students enrolled in the regional school. Other participating units 9
shall not include students enrolled in the regional school for purposes of federally supported food 10
nutrition service programs." 11
SECTION 2.(d) G.S. 116-239.8(b)(4)c. reads as rewritten: 12
"c. Food Nutrition services. – The laboratory school shall strive to ensure 13
that one hundred percent (100%) muscadine grape juice is made 14
available to students as a part of the school's nutrition program or 15
through the operation of the school's vending facilities. Laboratory 16
schools shall provide school nutrition services in accordance with Part 17
2 of Article 17 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes. Upon request, 18
the local school administrative unit in which the laboratory school is 19
located shall administer the National Sch ool Lunch Program for the 20
laboratory school in accordance with G.S. 115C-264.school." 21
SECTION 3. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 22
Public Instruction the sum of thirty-nine million dollars ($39,000,000) in recurring funds for the 23
2025-2026 fiscal year, thirty -four million dollars ($34,000,000) of which shall be allocated to 24
public school units to provide a universal breakfast program as required under G.S. 115C-263.5, 25
as enacted by this act, and five million dollars ($5,000,000) of which shall be allocated to public 26
school units to support farm-to-table initiatives pursuant to G.S. 115C-264.6, as enacted by this 27
act. 28
SECTION 4. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025, and applies beginning with 29
the 2025-2026 school year. 30