Free School Meals Bill Narrowly Passes Joint Appropriations Committee

(Bismarck, ND) — Members of the Joint Appropriations Committee are advancing a bill to provide free school meals. House members overwhelmingly supported the bill by a twelve-vote margin while senators were initially split before it became known a lawmaker wasn’t able to vote due to a technical issue. The bill passed in the Senate by one vote. A second bill, which only increased the number of households eligible for free meals, was shelved in favor of the universal free meals bill. It will now go to the full Senate and House chambers where it will need a majority in each to become law.