Division of the Budget
Landon State Office Building Phone: (785) 296-2436
900 SW Jackson Street, Room 504 adam.c.proffitt@ks.gov
Topeka, KS 66612 http://budget.kansas.gov
Adam C. Proffitt, Director Laura Kelly, Governor
Division of the Budget
February 11, 2025
The Honorable Susan Estes, Chairperson
House Committee on Education
300 SW 10th Avenue, Room 218-N
Topeka, Kansas 66612
Dear Representative Estes:
SUBJECT: Fiscal Note for HB 2295 by House Committee on Education
In accordance with KSA 75-3715a, the following fiscal note concerning HB 2295 is
respectfully submitted to your committee.
Under current law, school districts are entitled to receive appropriations from the State
General Fund of $0.06 for each meal served under an approved school lunch program each school
year. HB 2295 would add language to current law that would also entitle school districts to receive
$0.40 for each meal served for reduced-priced school meals. School boards would be prohibited
from collecting funds from students participating in the reduced-price school meals program.
According to the Department of Education, the following data represents reduced-price
meals during the last two school years:
Reduced-Price Meals Served & Cost
FY 2023 Number Cost Total
Reduced-Price Breakfasts 1,633,556 $0.30 $ 490,067
Reduced-Price Lunches 3,755,854 0.40 1,502,342
Total 5,389,410 $1,992,409
FY 2024 Number Cost Total
Reduced-Price Breakfasts 1,348,321 $0.30 $ 404,496
Reduced-Price Lunches 3,161,671 0.40 1,264,668
Total 4,509,992 $1,669,164 The Honorable Susan Estes, Chairperson
Page 2—HB 2295
Based upon the above data and that the removal of the required copay for reduced-price
meals, the number of students and meals served would likely increase. The Department notes that
during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of meals increased over 50.0 percent when all
students were served at no charge to the student. The Department estimates that a FY 2026
appropriation totaling $3.0 million from the State General Fund would likely cover all students
under the provisions of the bill with these assumptions. Future costs would be approximately $3.0
million each year.
The Division of the Budget notes that the Governor’s FY 2026 budget recommendations
include expenditures totaling $5.5 million for covering reduced-price meals at no cost to the
student. The discrepancy in the cost between the Governor’s recommendation and the
Department’s estimate is attributed to different estimates in the projected growth in the amount of
meals taken by students should the policy be enacted. However, the policy would be the same to
cover the same at-risk student’s reduced-price meals at no cost to the student.
Sincerely,
Adam C. Proffitt
Director of the Budget
cc: Gabrielle Hull, Department of Education
Angie Stallbaumer, Kansas Association of School Boards