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Easier Access to Free School Meals: Improving Automatic Enrollment Systems

This bill aims to simplify access to free school meals for low-income children by improving the 'direct certification' process. It allocates $28 million in grants to states and tribal organizations to upgrade technology and procedures for automatically enrolling eligible students. These changes reduce the need for parents to fill out separate applications if their children already qualify for other public benefits.
Key points
$28 million in federal grants to states and tribal organizations to fix technology and processes for automatic enrollment in free school meals.
Makes it easier for high-poverty schools to qualify for the program that provides free meals to every student in the school (Community Eligibility Option).
Requires states identified as needing improvement in automatic enrollment to report on their progress and technical assistance received.
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Expired
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Additional Information
Print number: 118_S_2772
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Process start date: 2023-09-12
Lustra uses Artificial Intelligence. Verify details in source documents.
Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash-preview-09-2025
Source data: api.congress.gov
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OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

School MEALS Act of 2023

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 118_S_2772.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the Senate.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2023-09-12.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • $28 million in federal grants to states and tribal organizations to fix technology and processes for automatic enrollment in free school meals.
  • Makes it easier for high-poverty schools to qualify for the program that provides free meals to every student in the school (Community Eligibility Option).
  • Requires states identified as needing improvement in automatic enrollment to report on their progress and technical assistance received.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Expired.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Introduced in Senate

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-26.

CATEGORIES

Benefits Education