SESSION WATCH
Died SENATE · SESSION 2026

No. SB 1674

K-12 School Lunches and Breakfasts
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SPONSOR
Rouson
FILED BY
Darryl Ervin Rouson — District 16, Democrat
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
DIED IN
Education Pre-K - 12

Filed under Education.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

K-12 School Lunches and Breakfasts; Requiring K-12 public schools to participate in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program; providing requirements for the provision of school lunches and breakfasts at such schools; authorizing school districts to collect payment for specified meals; prohibiting school districts from using third-party debt collectors, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Mandates free school breakfasts and bans third-party debt collection for unpaid lunches.

Every public school must now serve free breakfasts to all students, unless a parent explicitly opts out in writing. This removes the previous option for schools to charge for breakfast.

Schools must continue serving lunches to students who cannot pay or owe money for past meals. However, districts are strictly prohibited from hiring third-party debt collectors to recover these unpaid meal debts.

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will reimburse districts for every free breakfast served, capped at one per student per day. This reimbursement covers the difference between federal and state funding rates.

Districts retain the authority to collect payment for lunches directly, but the new law explicitly forbids outsourcing this collection process to external debt collection agencies.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Mandatory Program Participation majors. 1001.42(16)(b)

AIEvery public school must join the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs.

“Each school district shall require each school within the district to participate in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program.” bill text, line 33 →
§ 2 Unconditional Lunch Access majors. 1001.42(16)(b)(1)

AISchools must serve lunch to all students, even those with unpaid meal balances.

“Lunch available pursuant to the National School Lunch Program, regardless of whether a student has the money to pay for the lunch or owes money for meals previously provided.” bill text, line 36 →
§ 3 Free Breakfast with Opt-Out majors. 1001.42(16)(b)(2)

AIBreakfast is free unless a parent submits written notice to withhold it.

“Breakfast available pursuant to the National School Breakfast Program at no cost to the student unless the student's parent has provided written notification to the school to withh” bill text, line 42 →
§ 4 Debt Collection Ban moderates. 1001.42(16)(b)(1)

AISchools may collect meal debts but are prohibited from using third-party debt collectors.

“a school district may not use a third-party debt collector to collect such debt.” bill text, line 40 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Education Pre-K - 12
1/22/2026
Introduced
1/16/2026
Referred to Education Pre-K - 12; Appropriations Committee on...
1/9/2026
Filed
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 1001.42
+202 / −0