Imani Barnes introduces bill for free school lunches in Georgia
Georgia State Representative Imani Barnes introduces a bill that provides funds offering healthy school lunches at no cost to students. Titled the ‘Healthy Start Act’, the bill would allow for students to receive reduced-price meals under federal and state guidelines.
“Introducing House Bill 60, the Healthy Start Act, is a critical step toward ensuring that every student in our public schools has access to the nutritious meals they need to succeed academically,” said Rep. Barnes. “By providing funding to cover the cost of meals for eligible students, we are investing in the health and future of our children. I look forward to partnering with my colleagues to advance this meaningful legislation through the legislative process.”
HB 60 allows the Georgia State Board of Education to determine the amount of state funds needed to provide a no-cost, state-wide school lunch program for students. Students must be eligible under federal and state guidelines. According to the Georgia House Budget and Research Office, 64% of students in Georgia were free and reduced-price eligible in Fiscal Year 2024. However, the percentage can vary by district.
The Fiscal Year 2025 budget includes $6.3 million in state general funds to provide breakfast to 32,243 students and lunch to 63,792 students. That equates to more than 5.8 million breakfast meals and nearly 11.5 million lunches throughout the school year.
Barnes is not new to this work
Previously, Barnes introduced legislation in 2023 that would have provided free breakfast and lunch programs for all public school students in Georgia. Currently, families at or below 130% of the federal poverty line can receive free lunch. Families between 130% and 185% of the federal poverty line can receive a reduced-price lunch. Within these guidelines, a family with three children must earn less than $32,318 in order to receive free lunches.
That legislation was vetoed by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. However, the Georgia State Board of Education stepped in by approving $6.3 million in federal funds to support Rep. Barnes’s legislation.
Representative Imani Barnes, a Democrat from Tucker, was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2022. Barnes currently serves on the Higher Education, Public and Community Health and Technology and Infrastructure Innovation committees.
