---
title: HB 302. Leave No Georgia Child Hungry Act; enact
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb302
cite_as: HB 302, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb302
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb302.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb302/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69976
date: 2025-02-10
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb301.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb303.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb302.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 302
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-02-05
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Carl Gilliard
- Lydia Glaize
- Demetrius Douglas
- Sharon Henderson
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB302/2025
upstream_id: 1958399
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- school meals
- child hunger
- after-school programs
- summer school
- education funding
---
# HB 302. Leave No Georgia Child Hungry Act; enact
## Text
House Bill 302
By: Representatives Gilliard of the 162nd, Glaize of the 67th, Douglas of the 78th, and
Henderson of the 113th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
elementary and secondary education, so as to provide for free meals to public school students
enrolled in after-school education programs or summer school education programs; to
provide for policies, rules, and regulations; to provide for related matters; to provide a short
title; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Leave No Georgia Child Hungry Act."
SECTION 2.
Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and
secondary education, is amended in Part 5 of Article 6, relating to program weights and
funding requirements, by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"20-2-187.1.
(a)(1) The State Board of Education shall annually determine the amount of state funds
needed to provide a state-wide program to offer quality and healthy meals, without
charge, to all students enrolled in a public school in this state who are enrolled in
after-school education programs or summer school education programs. State funds
appropriated for this purpose shall be used to supplement federal funds, if any.
(2) The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations which:
(A) Establish minimum nutritional requirements for after-school meal programs and
summer school meal programs which meet or exceed the minimum federal regulations;
(B) Provide that each participating local school system submit a plan of compliance;
and
(C) Assist local school systems in applying for and obtaining start-up grant money for
such programs.
(b) Each local school system is encouraged to establish and support a program to offer
quality and healthy meals, without charge, to all students enrolled in a public school in this
state who are enrolled in after-school education programs or summer school education
programs. Each local education school system operating such a program shall be
reimbursed by the state according to policies, rules, and regulations established by the State
Board of Education and subject to appropriations for such purposes by the General
Assembly."
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
House Bill 302 would direct the State Board of Education to fund free meals for Georgia public school students who attend after-school or summer school programs, supplementing federal meal funds.
### Plain-language summary
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.
### What it does
- 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.
### Who it affects
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.
### Why it matters
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.
### Key provisions
- 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.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-02-05)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2025-02-10)
- Sponsors: Carl Gilliard, Lydia Glaize, Demetrius Douglas, Sharon Henderson
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69976
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb302.md?full=1