****
69th Legislature 2025 HB 551.1
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – HB 551
1 HOUSE BILL NO. 551
2 INTRODUCED BY M. ROMANO, J. REAVIS, B. EDWARDS, J. ISALY, M. LEE, P. STRAND, T. CROWE, J.
3 SECKINGER, B. CLOSE, S. FYANT, J. WEBER, J. SOOKTIS, A. GRIFFITH, D. POWERS, M. CUNNINGHAM,
4 T. RUNNING WOLF, F. SMITH, D. BAUM, B. CARTER, J. COHENOUR, D. HAWK, J. KARLEN, C. KEOGH, K.
5 KORTUM, E. STAFMAN, P. TUSS, Z. ZEPHYR, M. MARLER, S. DEMAROIS, J. LYNCH
6
7 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT ESTABLISHING A STATE PROGRAM TO PROVIDE
8 REPLACEMENT FUNDING FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ELIMINATE REDUCED-PRICE COPAYMENTS
9 FOR SCHOOL LUNCH AND BREAKFAST; PROVIDING RULEMAKING AUTHORITY; PROVIDING AN
10 APPROPRIATION; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.”
11
12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
13
14 NEW SECTION. Section 1.
15 (1) The legislature intends to strengthen the opportunity of
16 each child to develop the child's full education potential in accordance with the goal of the people articulated in
17 Article X, section 1(1), of the Montana constitution. The legislature recognizes that:
18 (a) adequate and proper nutrition is a foundational requirement for learning; and
19 (b) requiring families that are eligible for reduced-price school meals under the federal school
20 breakfast program and the national school lunch program to contribute to the cost of meals creates a barrier for
21 participation and a burden for school administrators for accounting and collection.
22 (2) From money appropriated for this purpose, the superintendent of public instruction shall
23 administer a program to distribute replacement funds to school districts electing to eliminate required reduced-
24 price copayments from reduced-price eligible pupils for school lunch and breakfast under a national or federal
25 program.
26 (3) If the amount of appropriated funds is insufficient for the program, the superintendent of public
27 instruction:
28 (a) may accept donations from private or out-of-state public sources to support the program; and ****
69th Legislature 2025 HB 551.1
- 2 - Authorized Print Version – HB 551
1 (b) shall request additional funding sufficient to support the program in the subsequent biennium.
2 (4) The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules necessary to administer the program.
3 (5) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
4 (a) "Reduced-price copayment" means the amount a reduced-price eligible pupil is charged for
5 reduced-price school meals.
6 (b) "Reduced-price eligible pupil" means a pupil whose family income meets the federal income
7 eligibility requirements for reduced-price school meals pursuant to the federal school breakfast program and the
8 national school lunch program.
9
10 NEW SECTION. Section 2. (1) The following money is appropriated from the state
11 general fund to the office of public instruction to be used for the purposes described in [section 1]:
12 Fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025 $600,000
13 Fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026 $600,000
14 (2) The legislature intends that the appropriation in subsection (1) be considered part of the
15 ongoing base for the next legislative session.
16
17 NEW SECTION. Section 3. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an
18 integral part of Title 20, chapter 10, part 2, and the provisions of Title 20, chapter 10, part 2, apply to [section 1].
19
20 COORDINATION SECTION. Section 4. If both House Bill No. 2 and [this
21 act] are passed and approved and if House Bill No. 2 includes an appropriation for the purposes of [section 1 of
22 this act], then [section 2 of this act] is void.
23
24 NEW SECTION. Section 5. [This act] is effective July 1, 2025.
25 - END -