Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to school lunch and breakfast programs provided by school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions
Sponsored by Sen. Liz Bennett (D), Sen. Tony Bisignano (D), Sen. Matt Blake (D), Sen. Molly Donahue (D), Sen. William A. Dotzler Jr. (D), Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott (D), Sen. Izaah Knox (D), Sen. Janet Petersen (D), Sen. Herman C. Quirmbach (D), Sen. Art Staed (D), Sen. Thomas Townsend (D), Sen. Zach Wahls (D), Sen. Janice Weiner (D), Sen. Cindy Winckler (D)
Topics:State budgetK–12 education
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 16, 2025
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 28, 2025
- Stopped: Senate committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: House committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2026 session adjourned on May 3, 2026, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary Iowa schools would be required to provide free breakfast and lunch to students based on their family's income. Starting in the 2025 school year, free meals would be available to families earning up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level, with that limit increasing the following year. By the 2027 school year, all students in these schools would receive free breakfast and lunch regardless of how much money their families make.1
Read the official explanation
charter schools, and innovation zone schools (schools). For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026, the bill requires each school to operate a program under which breakfasts and lunches are served to students in attendance at no charge to the student or the student’s family if the student’s family has a family income that is less than or equal to 300 percent of the federal poverty level. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, the bill requires each school to operate such a program if the student’s family has a family income that is less than or equal to 400 percent of the federal poverty level. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2027, and for each fiscal year thereafter, the bill requires each school to operate such a program regardless of the income of the student’s family. The bill appropriates from the general fund of the state to the department of education an amount necessary to make the payments to schools necessary to cover the costs of providing free school lunches and school breakfasts that are not covered by any Act of Congress and appropriated to the state of Iowa for use in connection with school breakfast or lunch programs. The bill requires the state board of education to adopt rules to administer these provisions. The bill makes conforming changes. The bill takes effect upon enactment.
Why it matters. School districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools would be required to provide free breakfast and lunch to students based on increasing income thresholds before providing them to all students regardless of family income starting in the 2027 fiscal year. The state would provide funding to the department of education to cover the costs of these meals that are not paid for by federal programs.2
Senate subcommittee
Named January 28, 2025. It hasn’t reported yet.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
Iowa Code it changes
Creates§283A.6
Lobbying
10 for · 0 against · 3 undecided · Who →
Family tree
Tried before
91st General Assembly
Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title.
Tried before
This idea has been filed in an earlier General Assembly. None got through a chamber.
- SF 2060 Relating to school lunch and breakfast programs provided by school districts, accredited n…90th General Assembly · In committee · same titleCleared committee
- HF 2368 Relating to school lunch programs provided by school districts and accredited nonpublic sc…90th General Assembly · In committee · similarCleared committee
Similar bills this General Assembly
- SF 2328 Relating to school lunch programs provided by school districts, charter schools, and innov…91st General Assembly · In committeeVery similar
Matched by wording or an identical title.