Florida House representative and Tallahassee native Allison Tant filed a bill that would enact universal free breakfast and lunch for all public school students in the state.
House Bill 477 would require the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to operate the program that would address the issue of food insecurity for children. If enacted in Florida, the bill would trigger free meal access for students, regardless of family income.
Tant, a Democrat, has served in the Florida House since 2020 representing District 9, and has sponsored a number of bills aimed at children and families.
Only nine other states offer a universal free breakfast and lunch program to students: California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Vermont and Nevada.
According to Feeding America, a network of food banks throughout the country, over 660,000 children in Florida face hunger. The issue is also significant in Leon County as reportedly one in three youngsters struggle with child hunger. A notable trend of child hunger includes the food desert on Tallahassee’s south side following the closure of several food markets over the course of 10 years.
Leon Classroom Teacher’s Association President Scott Mazur said the bill would also help educators by helping students meet some of the most basic needs for an optimal education.
“It is something that we should focus on,” Mazur said. “Every parent that’s ever seen a child hungry and understands what that kind of hangry does, now put 18 in a room.”
“We want to make sure we provide the children with what they need,” Mazur said.
According to Nourish California, a statewide organization that has advocated for equitable access to food since 1992, some of the benefits to universal free lunch include increased participation, healthier students, less financial strain on families and better learners.
Senate Bill 300, its companion, was introduced by Florida Senator Lori Berman. Berman is from New York and represents District 26, which encompasses the Palm Beach area, and has held a seat in the Senate since 2018.
HB 477 was filed by Tant on Nov. 15 and has since moved through four committees and is currently in the Agriculture, Conservation & Resiliency Subcommittee.
Under the bill’s language, students would have 15 minutes to eat their meals at the school and the program would be managed by school districts at the local level.
Tant and Berman did not respond to requests for comment.