Bill Commons

VA HB 96

in committee

School breakfast; availability at no cost to students.

Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower

Description

School breakfast; availability at no cost to students. Requires each school board to require each public elementary and secondary school in the local school division to participate in the federal National School Lunch Program and the federal School Breakfast Program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and to make breakfast available to any student who requests such a meal at no cost to the student, unless the student's parent has provided written permission to the school board to withhold such a meal from the student. The bill clarifies that the provision of a breakfast by a school to a student at no cost to the student shall not be construed as creating a disincentive for the school or local school division to participate in the federal Community Eligibility Provision program. Additionally, the bill provides that schools shall maximize the number of students who participate in the school breakfast program by implementing one or more suggested service models to increase access to such program. The bill requires the Department of Education to reimburse each public elementary and secondary school for each eligible school breakfast served to a student, with a maximum of one reimbursable breakfast per student per school day, and provides the formula for determining the state reimbursement rate for such meals. Finally, the bill repeals a provision of law relating to the federal School Breakfast Program that is rendered obsolete by the provisions of the bill. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Commission to End Hunger.

Introduced
2026-01-02
Status date
—
Latest action
2026-02-06 — Continued to next session in Appropriations (Voice Vote)
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Sponsors

  • Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parkerprimary
  • Kathy K.L. Trancosponsor
  • Virgil Thorntoncosponsor
  • Joshua E. Thomascosponsor
  • Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.cosponsor
  • Atoosa R. Reasercosponsor
  • May Nivarcosponsor
  • Leslie Chambers Mehtacosponsor
  • Garrett McGuirecosponsor
  • Adele Y. McClurecosponsor
  • Marty Martinezcosponsor
  • Michelle Lopes Maldonadocosponsor
  • Destiny LeVere Bollingcosponsor
  • Amy J. Laufercosponsor
  • Karen Keys-Gamarracosponsor
  • Rozia A. Henson, Jr.cosponsor
  • Jackie H. Glasscosponsor
  • Vivian E. Wattscosponsor
  • Margaret A. Franklincosponsor
  • Lily V. Franklincosponsor
  • Michael B. Fegganscosponsor
  • Mark C. Downeycosponsor
  • Rae Cousinscosponsor
  • Kelly K. Convirs-Fowlercosponsor
  • Nadarius E. Clarkcosponsor
  • Stacey Annie Carrollcosponsor
  • Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegiecosponsor
  • Katrina Callsencosponsor
  • Gretchen M. Bulovacosponsor
  • Jessica L. Andersoncosponsor
  • Shelly A. Simondscosponsor
  • Irene Shincosponsor
  • Marcia S. "Cia" Pricecosponsor
  • Laura Jane Cohencosponsor
  • Debra D. Gardnercosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2026-01-02

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101172D

    filing,introduction

  2. 2026-01-02

    Referred to Committee on Education

    referral-committee

  3. 2026-01-19

    Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee

    referral-committee

  4. 2026-01-20

    Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N)

  5. 2026-01-21

    Reported from Education and referred to Appropriations (18-Y 4-N)

    committee-passage

  6. 2026-01-22

    Assigned HAPP sub: Elementary & Secondary Education

    referral-committee

  7. 2026-01-28

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB96)

  8. 2026-02-02

    Subcommittee recommends continuing to (Voice Vote)

  9. 2026-02-06

    Continued to next session in Appropriations (Voice Vote)

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Subcommittee recommends reporting

    2026-01-20 · pass · 10-0

    Member-level votes (10)
    • Shelly A. Simonds: yes
    • Alex Q. Askew: yes
    • Rae Cousins: yes
    • Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
    • Jessica L. Anderson: yes
    • Lindsey Dougherty: yes
    • Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
    • Mike A. Cherry: yes
    • Anne Ferrell Tata: yes
    • Hillary Pugh Kent: yes

  • Reported from Education

    2026-01-21 · pass · 18-4

    Member-level votes (22)
    • Sam Rasoul: yes
    • Shelly A. Simonds: yes
    • Delores L. McQuinn: yes
    • Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
    • Briana D. Sewell: yes
    • Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: yes
    • Alex Q. Askew: yes
    • Nadarius E. Clark: yes
    • Rae Cousins: yes
    • Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
    • Amy J. Laufer: yes
    • Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
    • Jessica L. Anderson: yes
    • Lindsey Dougherty: yes
    • Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
    • Mike A. Cherry: yes
    • Anne Ferrell Tata: yes
    • Phillip A. Scott: no
    • Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: no
    • Eric R. Zehr: no
    • Hillary Pugh Kent: yes
    • Madison Whittle: no

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB96

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z

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