Republicans still cold on free school lunches in South Dakota
Legislative panel again says no to funding meal programs for qualifying children
PIERRE — The third time was not the charm for free school lunches in South Dakota.
The budget-setting committee of the state House of Representatives on Monday killed House Bill 1089. And it was in swift fashion — taking less than two minutes to defeat the proposal that sought to provide meals to qualifying students enrolled in public schools at no cost.
The bill would have directed the South Dakota Department of Education to reimburse public school districts that provide free meals to children whose families meet low-income thresholds.
While the House Committee on Appropriations' morning vote against the measure marked the third time in as many years a free school lunch proposal failed to earn passage in the state Legislature, this year’s iteration survived longer than its predecessors of 2022 and 2023, which failed to advance past the House Education Committee.
The same committee this year opted not to shelve HB 1089 and instead asked appropriators to also consider the legislation.
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