To amend sections 3314.03, 3326.11, and 3328.24 and to enact section 3313.8110 of the Revised Code to require public schools to provide meals and related services to students.
Summary
HB97 would require Ohio public school districts to provide a meal to any student who requests one, regardless of whether the student has money available or owes debt for prior meals. The bill also prohibits schools from discarding a served meal because of unpaid debt, requiring students to work off meal debt through chores, refusing meals as discipline, or publicly identifying or stigmatizing students over unpaid meal balances. It directs school districts to communicate meal-debt matters to parents or guardians rather than to students, while allowing districts to respond if a student asks about their own debt.
In addition to the meal-access provisions, the bill requires the Department of Education and Workforce to issue guidance on collecting student meal debt and to post best practices, including information about online payment systems. The bill also makes conforming changes to community school, STEM school, and college-preparatory boarding school statutes so that those schools are expressly subject to the new meal-service protections and related compliance requirements. Those changes update cross-references in the Revised Code and integrate the new section into existing school-law frameworks.
Impact
The bill would add a new statewide requirement in the Revised Code mandating meal service protections for students and limiting how schools may respond to unpaid meal debt. It would directly affect school districts and, through conforming amendments, community schools, STEM schools, and college-preparatory boarding schools by incorporating the new student-meal rules into their governing statutes. The Department of Education and Workforce would also gain a new guidance role on meal-debt collection practices.
Sentiment
The bill was introduced and referred to the House Education Committee, with no recorded votes or committee testimony available in the provided materials. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears aimed at protecting students from hunger and embarrassment related to unpaid school meal balances, suggesting a generally child-centered and supportive policy approach. No opposing views are documented in the available record.
Contention
The main policy tension is between ensuring students receive meals without stigma and preserving school districts’ ability to manage and collect meal debt. The bill limits several common debt-collection practices, such as meal shaming, meal confiscation, and requiring work in exchange for food, which could concern districts focused on recovering unpaid balances. Another possible point of contention is the administrative burden on schools and the state education department, including new communication rules, guidance development, and implementation across multiple school types.
To amend sections 3505.01 and 3505.10 of the Revised Code to modify the deadline for a political party to certify its nominees for President and Vice-President to the Secretary of State.
To amend sections 3517.12, 3517.13, and 3517.155 of the Revised Code to modify the Campaign Finance Law regarding foreign nationals and statewide initiatives and referenda and to declare an emergency.
To amend sections 3517.12, 3517.13, and 3517.155 of the Revised Code to modify the Campaign Finance Law regarding foreign nationals and statewide initiatives and referenda and to declare an emergency.
To delay the deadline for a major political party to certify its presidential and vice presidential candidates to the Secretary of State for the 2024 general election.