AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- FEDERAL AID (Establishes a statewide “Healthy School Meals for all” universal school breakfast and lunch program in Rhode Island public schools phased in over 3 years.)

S2083

2026 -- S 2083
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- FEDERAL AID

Introduced By:
Senators Acosta, Lawson, Vargas, DiPalma, Mack, Quezada, Zurier,
Gallo, Valverde, and McKenney

Date Introduced:
January 16, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Finance
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Findings.
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The general assembly hereby finds and declares that:
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(1) Globally, diet-related chronic diseases are the leading cause of death;
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(2) In 2024, almost forty percent (40%) of Rhode Island households with children were
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food insecure;
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(3) Student hunger is associated with poor learning outcomes, absenteeism, and behavioral
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issues;
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(4) Healthy school meals are associated with improved test scores;
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(5) Many children consume one-third (1/3) to one-half (1/2) of their daily calories during
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the school day;
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(6) The 2012 nutrition standards for school meals (Nutrition Standards in the National
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School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, 77 Fed. Reg. 4088 [Jan. 26, 2012]) and 2016
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nutrition standards for competitive foods (National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast
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Program - Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in School as Required by the Healthy, Hunger-
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Free Kids Act of 2010, 81 Feb. Reg. 50131 [July 29, 2016]) promulgated by the U.S. Department
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of Agriculture were estimated to save up to seven hundred ninety-two million dollars
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($792,000,000) in healthcare related costs over ten (10) years, prevent more than two million
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(2,000,000) cases of childhood obesity, and reduce the risk of obesity by half among low-income
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students over five (5) years;

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(7) It is in the best interests of the people of the state to provide that all students have access
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to a healthy and nutritious school breakfast and lunch during the school day.
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SECTION 2. Chapter 16-8 of the General Laws entitled "Federal Aid [See Title 16 Chapter
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97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended by adding thereto the
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following section:
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16-8-16. “Healthy school meals for all” -- School breakfast and lunch programs.

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(a) The healthy school meals for all program shall be phased in over three (3) years.
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Beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, all public elementary schools shall be required to make
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breakfasts and lunches available to elementary students attending those schools. Beginning in the
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2028-2029 school year, all public elementary and secondary schools shall be required to make
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breakfast and lunches available to elementary and middle school through grade eight (8) for
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students attending those schools. Beginning in the 2029-2030 school year, all public elementary
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and secondary schools shall be required to make breakfasts and lunches available to elementary,
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middle and high school students attending those schools in accordance with rules and regulations
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as set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture and adopted by the department of
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elementary and secondary education pursuant to the provisions of subsection (c) of this section.
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(1) Schools that participate in the School Breakfast Program authorized under § 4 of the
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Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. § 1773) and National School Lunch Program authorized
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under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. § 1751 et seq.) shall provide
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breakfast and lunch without charge to all enrolled, attending students, every school day.
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(b) In operating its school breakfast and lunch program pursuant to this section, each public
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educational entity shall seek to achieve the highest level of student participation, which may include
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any or all of the following:
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(1) Providing breakfast meals that can be picked up by students for consumption outside
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the cafeteria;
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(2) Making breakfast available to students in the classroom after the start of the school day;
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(3) Collaborating with the entity’s health and wellness subcommittee, as established under
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§ 16-21-28, in planning school meals; and
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(4) Providing lunch periods of no less than twenty (20) minutes for students to be seated
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and consume their lunch.
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(c) In operating its school breakfast and lunch program, each public educational entity shall
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seek to maximize access to federal funds for the cost of the school breakfast and lunch program by
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participating in one of the following options:
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(1) National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, Provision 2 Guidance as

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promulgated by United State Department of Agriculture (USDA);
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(2) The Community Eligibility Provision (hereinafter referred to in this section as "CEP")
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promulgated by the USDA; or
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(3) Any other federal provision that, in the opinion of the department of elementary and
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secondary education, draws down the most possible federal funding for meals served in that
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program, including the active dissemination and collection of meal benefit applications, as
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applicable.
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(d) In operating its school breakfast and lunch program, each public educational entity shall
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seek to improve meal quality by:
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(1) Complying with all state-specific nutrition requirements related to meals and snacks
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served as part of the school day;
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(2) Purchasing, to the maximum extent possible, locally grown/produced food items, as
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defined by the department of elementary and secondary education;
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(3) Freshly preparing scratch-cooked foods; and
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(4) Providing culturally relevant meals and engaging student and family voices in menu
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development.
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(e) No less frequently than quarterly, each public educational entity shall report to the
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department of elementary and secondary education data related to the purchasing of locally
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grown/produced food items as referenced in this section and used in the operation of its school
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breakfast and lunch program. Specific reporting requirements, including data points and format,
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shall be determined and communicated by the department annually.
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(f) The department of elementary and secondary education shall reimburse the public
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educational entities described in and operating in accordance with the provisions and requirements
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of this section, the difference between:
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(1) The federal free reimbursement rate established annually by the United States
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Department of Agriculture for school breakfast and for school lunch; and
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(2) The federal reimbursement rate received for each school breakfast and school lunch
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served.
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(g) The department of elementary and secondary education shall adopt rules and
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regulations necessary for making reimbursements pursuant to this section.
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(h) For each fiscal year, the general assembly shall make an appropriation by separate line
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item in the budget to allow school food authorities to provide breakfasts and lunches at no charge
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for children in state-subsidized early childhood education programs administered by public
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educational entities or in kindergarten through grade twelve (k-12), participating in the school lunch

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or breakfast program who would otherwise be required to pay for meals under these programs. The
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appropriation to the department of elementary and secondary education shall be considered
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entitlement dollars and shall be adjusted as necessary to meet the needs of the program on an on-
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going basis, without disruption.
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(i) In addition to the funding required to reimburse public educational entities as described
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in this section, each fiscal year the general assembly shall make an appropriation by separate line
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item in the budget to support the cost of one full-time equivalent employee at the department of
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elementary and secondary education to aid in the administration and implementation of this
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program.
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(j) For the first year of implementation, schools designated as eligible for the CEP in
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Kindergarten through grade five (K-5) are authorized to participate in the CEP program. However,
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schools that serve additional grades including, but not limited to, grades kindergarten through grade
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eight (K-8), or grades five (5) and six (6), shall have the option to voluntarily elect to participate in
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the CEP program.
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(k) In instances where a school has grades beyond the specified eligible range, such as
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grades six (6) through eight (8) in the case of a kindergarten through grade eight (K-8) schools, or
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grade six (6) in the case of a grade five (5) and grade (6) school, the state shall cover the cost of
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providing CEP benefits to the non-eligible grades in the first year of implementation, ensuring that
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grade six through eight (6-8) in a kindergarten through grade eight (K-8) school or grade (6) in a
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grade five and six (5-6) school are eligible for coverage at no cost to the school or district.
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(l) All local education agencies (“LEAs”) and eligible schools are hereby required to
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participate in the federal CEP program if they meet the criteria for eligibility, as defined by federal
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law. The state shall provide the necessary funding to cover the LEA's share of the program costs to
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ensure full participation.
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(m) LEAs and schools that meet the eligibility requirements shall participate fully in the
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CEP, and it is the responsibility of the LEA to maximize the use of available federal funds under
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the CEP. Failure to participate in the CEP program without a valid exemption will result in the
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forfeiture of state funding intended to support CEP-related costs.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2027.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- FEDERAL AID
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This act would establish a statewide “healthy school meals for all” universal school
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breakfast and lunch program in Rhode Island public schools phased in over three (3) years. The
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program would begin with all elementary school students, then add all middle school students in
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year two (2), and then provide universal meals for all students by the 2028-2029 school year. The
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act would also direct that in operating its school breakfast and lunch program, each public
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educational entity would seek to maximize access to federal funds for the cost of the school
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breakfast and lunch program by participating in one of several identified federal programs in order
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to obtain federal funds to offset the costs to districts of providing free breakfasts and lunches and
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minimize the costs to the state. The general assembly would be required to make an appropriation
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by separate line items in the budget to provide breakfast and lunch at no charge for children in state
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subsidized early childhood education programs.
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This act would take effect on July 1, 2027.
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