Kansas House Bill HB2295

Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/5/25
• Refer: 2/5/25

Caption

Providing state general funds for school meals programs and prohibiting local boards from collecting money for such meals.

Summary

HB2295 amends Kansas school meal reimbursement law to increase state support for reduced-price school meals beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. Under the bill, each local school board would be entitled to receive $0.40 from the state general fund for each meal served through an approved reduced-price school meals program under federal law. The bill also prohibits school boards from collecting that $0.40 from students participating in the reduced-price meal program, shifting that cost from families to the state. The bill retains the existing reimbursement structure for type-A lunches and continues the rule that state funds received under this section may not be used to purchase identifiable imported meats. It also updates and repeals the current version of K.S.A. 72-17,137 to reflect the new reimbursement provisions. In practical terms, the measure would change how reduced-price school meals are financed and would require state appropriations to cover the new reimbursement amount.

Impact

HB2295 would amend K.S.A. 72-17,137 to create a new state reimbursement entitlement for reduced-price school meals and to bar local boards from charging students the $0.40 amount for those meals. The bill would therefore affect school districts, students eligible for reduced-price meals, and the state general fund by shifting the cost of that portion of meal pricing from families to state appropriations. It would also preserve the existing restriction on spending state meal funds for identifiable imported meats.

Sentiment

Based on the bill caption and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the bill appears to be framed as a school nutrition support measure with a generally favorable policy purpose. The language suggests an intent to reduce or eliminate out-of-pocket costs for students in the reduced-price meal program by replacing local collections with state reimbursement. No contrary viewpoints, amendments, or recorded opposition are included in the available context.

Contention

The main policy issue is fiscal: whether the state should appropriate general funds to reimburse school districts for reduced-price meals and absorb the cost that would otherwise be collected from participating students. Another possible point of concern is the administrative change for local boards, which would no longer collect the $0.40 payment from families. No specific opposition or supporter statements are available in the provided record, so any contention can only be inferred from the funding shift and the change in local collection practices.