The bill would change how the Basic Allowance for Housing is counted when household income is calculated under the National School Lunch Act. It also directs the Agriculture Secretary, working with the Defense Secretary, to report by October 1, 2026, on the feasibility and cost of automatically certifying children in uniformed service households for free or reduced-price school meals, without a separate application. The report must review options that use data from the basic needs allowance and other assistance programs, as well as excluding income earned by people who are not service members.
For households with a uniformed service member, the bill would change the treatment of certain housing allowance income in school meal eligibility calculations. It also asks for a study of ways eligible children in these households could be certified for school meals without applying. The bill does not itself establish that automatic certification process.
The bill does not specify program expenses. It requires a report that assesses the feasibility and cost of automatic certification.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.