New school food law expands free meals in Virginia

The school food bill that guarantees free meals for up to 109,000 more Virginia students in 180 schools has now been signed into law.

HB 5113 unanimously passed in both chambers of the General Assembly and was signed by Governor Ralph Northam.

The new legislation requires schools that qualify, to participate in the Community Eligibility Provision. The FDA food service program provides free breakfast and lunch to students in low-income areas.

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“One of the other components of it is the racial justice aspect of it, is making sure that where you have schools where more than 40 percent students right now are already enrolled in free and reduced meals as it is, extending that out so that every student has access to free meals at school, free breakfast and free lunch,” said HB 5113 author Del. Danica Roem. “This is going to help prevent school meal debt.”

Roem is encouraging legislators in other states to adopt similar legislation to expand the federal program across the country.