H.R. 2402 — No Hungry Kids in Schools Act

This section establishes a statewide community eligibility option under the National School Lunch Program (part of special assistance payments under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act) for school years beginning on or after July 1, 2025. (As background, community eligibility allows qualifying schools or districts to serve free breakfasts and lunches to all students without collecting household applications and receive federal reimbursements at free rates based on a multiplier applied to directly identified students (i.e., those eligible via SNAP, Medicaid, or other automatic certifications).) Under this state option—available if the state agency agrees to provide non-federal funding ensuring local educational agencies receive free reimbursement rates for 100% of meals served at applicable schools, as defined by the Secretary of Agriculture—(1) the multiplier in subclause (vii) applies; (2) the eligibility threshold in subclause (viii) is zero; and (3) identified student percentages are calculated statewide across all applicable schools regardless of local educational agency. (Thus, this enables broader free meal service with simplified administration and pooled eligibility data.)