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HB 2238MISSOURISession 2026State Billin committee

Missouri House Bill 2238 creates the Hayes Act to provide free school lunches for students eligible for reduced-price meals

Original title: SCHOOL MEALS

Last action · May 15, 2026: Referred: Emerging Issues(H)Sponsors: Marty Joe Murray and 1 other

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What This Bill Would Do

Missouri House Bill 2238 requires participating schools to provide free lunches to students approved for reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program, funded through state reimbursements. The measure establishes the dedicated School Meals Fund, prohibits public stigmatization of eligible students, and directs the state board of education to promulgate implementation rules.

Why it matters

Schools participating in the National School Lunch Program but not the must cover free meals for reduced-price eligible students, with state reimbursements contingent on legislative appropriations from a newly created dedicated state fund.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Students approved for a reduced-price lunch

Eligible students receive free lunches and are protected from public identification or stigmatization.

Directly affected

Participating schools

Schools must provide free lunches to reduced-price eligible students, assist parents with applications, and follow new state reimbursement processes.

Directly affected

State Board of Education

The board must administer state reimbursements to schools and promulgate implementation rules under chapter 536.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which schools are covered under the Hayes Act?
The act applies to any public school district, public school, public charter school, or private, religious, or parochial school that participates in the National School Lunch Program but does not participate in the .
Who pays for the cost difference when providing free lunches to reduced-price eligible students?
Subject to legislative appropriation, the state board of education will reimburse schools the difference between the total cost of each lunch and the federal reimbursement rate using moneys from the newly created School Meals Fund.
Can student meal applications be used for purposes other than federal reimbursement and state aid calculations?
No. A student's application for the National School Lunch Program may be used only for federal reimbursement and for state aid calculations under chapter 163.

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Where This Stands

Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

4 actions
  1. May 15, 2026HouseCommittee
    Referred: Emerging Issues(H)
  2. Jan 8, 2026HouseFloor
    Read Second Time (H)
  3. Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroduced
    Read First Time (H)
  4. Dec 8, 2025HouseIntroduced
    Prefiled (H)

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Marty Joe MurrayHouse · District 78SponsorNo profile match
Matthew OvercastHouse · District 155RepublicanCosponsor

Connected Entities

National School Lunch Program, General Assembly, United States Department of Agriculture and 4 more
OrganizationNational School Lunch Program“Federal meal program administered by the USDA”Map →
OrganizationGeneral Assembly“Legislative body responsible for appropriating moneys and creating the School Me”Map →
OrganizationUnited States Department of Agriculture“Federal agency administering the National School Lunch Program”Map →
PersonState Treasurer“Custodian of the School Meals Fund who approves disbursements and invests moneys”Map →
OrganizationState Board of Education“State board tasked with reimbursing schools, promulgating rules, and using the S”Map →
otherCommunity Eligibility Provision“USDA provision exclusion criterion for participating schools under the act”Map →
otherSchool Meals Fund“Dedicated fund created in the state treasury for school meal reimbursements”Map →

Sources

Open source document

house.mo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy35
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz25
    Current news / social attention level

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