Free school meals bill fails in the North Dakota House

Members voted 54-39 against House Bill 1475, which proposed to use $140 million from North Dakota’s general fund to pay for school breakfasts and lunches in the 2025-27 biennium.

Rep. Don Vigesaa, R-Cooperstown, said the meal ticket was just too big a price for the state Legislature to pay.

“The only way to balance the budget is to not fund some of these large asks,” said Vigesaa, chair of the House Appropriations Committee.

Proponents cited public support, alleviating meal debt for school districts and improved nutrition and school performance.

Rep. Zac Ista, D-Grand Forks, said it was one way to help fight inflation for families with school children.

“All of us who promise that we’re going to come here to lower costs, there are not that many levers we can pull to do that. This is one,” Ista said.

The Together for School Meals coalition, made up of more than 75 groups that advocated for the bill, expressed “deep disappointment” after the vote Monday.

“This bill had the power to ensure that no child goes hungry at school while putting real money — an estimated $850 per child per year — back into the pockets of hard-working parents,” said coalition member Amy Jacobson.

Another bill, House Bill 1553, would have paid for school meals with earnings of the state Legacy Fund, which has swelled to $11 billion through oil tax revenue and investments. That bill was previously defeated in the House.