HB 302: Leave No Georgia Child Hungry Act; enact

Currently, Georgia law does not specifically require the state to fund free meals for students in after-school or summer school programs beyond federal programs. House Bill 302, called the Leave No Georgia Child Hungry Act, would add a new section to Georgia's education code (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-187.1) directing the State Board of Education to calculate each year how much state money is needed to offer free, healthy meals to all public school students enrolled in after-school or summer programs. The state funds would supplement, not replace, any federal funding already available. The Board would have to write rules setting minimum nutrition standards, require local school systems to submit compliance plans, and help districts apply for start-up grants. Local school systems would be encouraged, but not required, to run these meal programs, and the state would reimburse them according to rules the Board sets, subject to the General Assembly actually appropriating the money.

• Creates a new Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-187.1) directing the State Board of Education to determine annual state funding needed for free meals in after-school and summer school programs.
• Makes state funding for these meal programs supplemental to any federal funds already covering them.
• Requires the State Board of Education to set nutrition standards for these meal programs that meet or exceed federal minimums.
• Requires local school systems that want to participate to submit a compliance plan and directs the state to help them apply for start-up grants.
• Encourages, but does not mandate, local school systems to establish free meal programs for after-school and summer school students, with state reimbursement contingent on future legislative funding.

Public school students in Georgia who attend after-school education programs or summer school programs, their families, local school systems that choose to run meal programs, and the State Board of Education, which would gain new rulemaking and funding-calculation duties.

If enacted and funded, students in after-school or summer programs could receive free meals paid for partly with state money rather than relying solely on federal programs. However, local school systems are only encouraged, not required, to participate, and state reimbursement depends on the General Assembly actually appropriating money for it.

• Section 1 gives the bill its short title, the 'Leave No Georgia Child Hungry Act.'
• Section 2 adds new Code section 20-2-187.1, requiring the State Board of Education to annually determine the state funds needed for free meals in after-school and summer programs.
• Section 2 specifies state funds supplement, rather than replace, existing federal funds for these meal programs.
• Section 2 requires the Board to set nutrition rules meeting or exceeding federal minimums and to require participating districts to submit compliance plans.
• Section 2 directs the Board to help local school systems obtain start-up grant money for these programs.
• Section 2 encourages, but does not require, local school systems to run such programs, with state reimbursement subject to future appropriations by the General Assembly.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-02-10House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-02-06House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-02-05House Hopper (House)

• Carl Gilliard (D, HD-162)Primary sponsor
• Lydia Glaize (D, HD-067)
• Demetrius Douglas (D, HD-078)
• Sharon Henderson (D, HD-113)

• school meals
• child hunger
• after-school programs
• summer school
• education funding