SB 204-FN-A - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
03/27/2025 1104s
2025 SESSION
25-1010
02/06
SENATE BILL 204-FN-A
SPONSORS: Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Lang, Dist 2
COMMITTEE: Education
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill authorizes school boards to raise eligibility for free meals, requires the department of education to reimburse schools who raise eligibility, and provides an appropriation therefor.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
03/27/2025 1104s 25-1010
02/06
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Paragraphs; Food and Nutrition Programs. Amend RSA 189:11-a by inserting after paragraph VIII the following new paragraphs:
IX. Each school board may vote to raise eligibility for free meals to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Meals served to students who meet the federal income eligibility guidelines shall continue to be reimbursed in accordance with federal law and regulations. Meals not reimbursed in accordance with federal law and regulations shall be reimbursed by the state of New Hampshire at a rate that covers 50 percent of the difference between the federal rate for a free meal and a reduced-price meal, or the difference between a free meal and a paid meal. The remainder of the costs shall be covered by the local district.
X.(a) The department of education shall adopt rules under RSA 541-A requiring school districts that opt into the optional program pursuant to paragraph IX to offer both online and physical applications for free school meals.
(b) The department of education shall provide administrative or technical assistance to school districts establishing an online application for free or reduced-price school meals, and whose school meal programs are approved to operate through the United States Department of Agriculture.
(c) School districts eligible for administrative or technical assistance or funding under this section shall be those approved to operate federal school meal programs through the United States Department of Agriculture and accepted by the department of education to participate in this expansion of free and reduced lunch benefits.
2 Appropriation; Department of Education; Food and Nutrition Program.
I. The amount of $107,000 is appropriated to the department of education for the biennium ending June 30, 2026, for administrative costs related to providing administrative or technical assistance to school districts establishing an online application for free or reduced-price school meals. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sums out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
II. The amount of $250,000 is appropriated to the department of education for the biennium ending June 30, 2026, for disbursement to school districts to be reimbursed at a 50 percent rate pursuant to RSA 189:11-a, X(a) and to purchase software related to the establishment of an online application for free or reduced-price school meals. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sums out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.
25-1010
Revised 2/11/25
SB 204-FN-A- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
FISCAL IMPACT: This bill does not provide funding, nor does it authorize new positions.
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Estimated State Impact | ||||||
| FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | ||
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Revenue Fund(s) | None | |||||
Expenditures* | $0 | NHED Position Costs $204K in FY 2026, $208K in FY 2027, and $214K in FY 2028
NHED Meal Reimbursements Indeterminable - Up to Approximately $7M Per Year (see methodology below)
NHED Software Reimbursement $500,000 in FY 2026 | ||||
Funding Source(s) | General Fund | |||||
Appropriations* | $0 | $107,000 for NHED Administrative Costs and $500,000 for Reimbursement to Districts for Software | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | General Fund | |||||
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill | ||||||
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Estimated Political Subdivision Impact | ||||||
| FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | ||
Local Revenue | $0 | Indeterminable Increase | ||||
Local Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable Increase |
METHODOLOGY:
This bill requires local school districts to provide breakfast and lunch to pupils under their jurisdiction at no cost to children from households with incomes at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, and provides general funds to the Department of Education for administrative costs ($107,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2026, which is assumed to be for FY 2026 only) and reimbursements to districts to purchase software related to the establishment of an online application for free or reduced-price school meals and to reimburse at a 50 percent rate pursuant to RSA 189:11-a ($500,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2026, which is assumed to be for FY 2026 only). Any unexpended amounts from these appropriations would lapse to the general fund at June 30, 2026.
The Department has provided the following detail as to the requirements of this bill:
The Department has provided the following data and assumptions relative to this bill:
State Impact
Using the information and assumptions above, the Department estimates reimbursement costs could be approximately $6,937,949 ($2,221,085 + $4,487,040 + $229,824):
In addition to the reimbursement estimates, the Department states it would need two positions; one to administer this system as there would need to be a new process to determine eligibility as the current process is under the USDA and one to provide the administrative or technical assistance to the schools in establishing and maintaining the online systems. Both would be miscellaneous business operator specialists’ (SOC 13-5, step 3) at an estimated per position cost of $102,000 in FY 2026, $104,000 in FY 2027 and $107,000 in FY 2028, assuming a start date of July 1, 2025. This bill provides funding sufficient to cover the cost of one of the two positions in FY 2026 only.
Local School District Impact
Using the above assumptions and calculations, the Department states this bill’s fiscal impact is indeterminable at the local level, but it is important to highlight there will be a significant amount of work needing to be done to make the eligibility determinations and there will be costs incurred at the local level to meet the requirements. The local education agencies currently have had significant issues with being able to collect free and reduced applications from families and this will require collecting applications from many more families/students. Districts will receive an indeterminable increase in revenue associated with reimbursements illustrated above, as well as from this bill’s $500,000 appropriation relative to software for the establishment of an online application for free or reduced-price school meals.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Education
Date | Amendment |
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March 19, 2025 | 2025-1104s |
Date | Body | Type |
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Feb. 11, 2025 | Senate | Hearing |
March 13, 2025 | Senate | Floor Vote |
March 27, 2025 | Senate | Floor Vote |
April 15, 2025 | House | Hearing |
March 31, 2025: Public Hearing: 04/15/2025 12:45 pm LOB 205-207
March 28, 2025: Introduced (in recess of) 03/27/2025 and referred to Education Funding HJ 11
March 27, 2025: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2025-1104s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/27/2025; SJ 9
March 27, 2025: Committee Amendment # 2025-1104s, AA, VV; 03/27/2025; SJ 9
March 19, 2025: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1104s, 03/27/2025; Vote 6-0; CC; SC 14
March 13, 2025: Ought to Pass: MA, VV; Refer to Finance Rule 4-5; 03/13/2025; SJ 7
March 7, 2025: Committee Report: Ought to Pass, 03/13/2025; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 12
Feb. 5, 2025: Hearing: 02/11/2025, Room 101, LOB, 09:30 am; SC 9
Jan. 23, 2025: Introduced 01/09/2025 and Referred to Education; SJ 3