Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HB551: Eliminate reduced-price copayments for school lunch and breakfast
Status: Vetoed, June 19, 2025
What the bill says
An act establishing a state program to provide replacement funding for school districts that eliminate reduced-price copayments for school lunch and breakfast; providing rulemaking authority; providing an appropriation; and providing an effective date.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A STATE PROGRAM TO PROVIDE REPLACEMENT FUNDING FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ELIMINATE REDUCED-PRICE COPAYMENTS FOR SCHOOL LUNCH AND BREAKFAST; PROVIDING RULEMAKING AUTHORITY; PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Section 1. Program to eliminate reduced-price copayments for school lunch and breakfast -- legislative intent -- rulemaking. (1) The legislature intends to strengthen the opportunity of each child to develop the child's full education potential in accordance with the goal of the people articulated in Article X, section 1(1), of the Montana constitution. The legislature recognizes and (b) requiring families that are eligible for reduced-price school meals under the federal school breakfast program and the national school lunch program to contribute to the cost of meals creates a barrier for participation and a burden for school administrators for accounting and collection. (2) From money appropriated for this purpose, the superintendent of public instruction shall administer a program to distribute replacement funds to school districts electing to eliminate required reducedprice copayments from reduced-price eligible pupils for school lunch and breakfast under a national or federal program. (3) If the amount of appropriated funds is insufficient for the program, the superintendent of public and (b) shall request additional funding sufficient to support the program in the subsequent biennium. (4) The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules necessary to …
Sponsors
- Romano, Melissa (D, 80) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : (H) Vetoed by Governor
- : (H) Transmitted to Governor
- : (S) Signed by President
- : (H) Signed by Speaker
- : (H) Returned from Enrolling
- : (H) Sent to Enrolling
- : (S) Returned to House
- : (S) 3rd Reading
- : (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
- : (S) 2nd Reading
Votes
- Do Concur (April 22, 2025): 28 yea, 22 nay, passed
- Do Concur (April 18, 2025): 27 yea, 23 nay, passed
- Take HB 551 from Comm-Morigeau J (April 17, 2025): 27 yea, 23 nay, passed
- Take HB 551 from Comm-Morigeau J (April 16, 2025): 25 yea, 25 nay, failed
- Do Pass (April 5, 2025): 68 yea, 30 nay, passed
- Do Pass (April 4, 2025): 68 yea, 31 nay, passed
Subjects: Rule Making, Appropriations, Education - K-12
Common questions
- What is HB551?
- HB551 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Eliminate reduced-price copayments for school lunch and breakfast.
- What does HB551 do?
- In its own words: An act establishing a state program to provide replacement funding for school districts that eliminate reduced-price copayments for school lunch and breakfast; providing rulemaking authority; providing an appropriation; and providing an effective date.
- What is the status of HB551?
- Vetoed as of June 19, 2025. Latest action: (H) Vetoed by Governor (June 19, 2025).
- Who sponsored HB551?
- Romano, Melissa (D, 80).
- Where is the official record for HB551?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC1781
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.