BISMARCK — An overwhelming majority of North Dakotans have demonstrated support for the state providing free school meals to all students, and lawmakers are responding.

A poll from the North Dakota News Cooperative found around 82% of North Dakotans believe school meals should be free, with 65% of all respondents in "strong" support. The small margin of opposing respondents were mostly men 55 and older.

In light of the strong support, House representatives from all corners of the state and both political parties have joined forces in bringing two bills to the Legislature that would make school breakfast and lunch free for all K-12 students in North Dakota, regardless of how much money their parents make.

The state would cover meal costs that aren't already being paid for with federal dollars, according to each bill. Federal dollars would still cover some meal costs for students experiencing extreme poverty.

The only difference between each bill is how the meals would be funded by the state.

House Bill 1475 is written to pull $140 million from the general fund per biennium, whereas House Bill 1553 would pull the same amount per biennium from monthly Legacy Fund earnings on oil and gas taxes.

“Those of us on the bills are sort of working behind the scenes and are taking part of those conversations to figure out how to do this in a way, not just for the next biennium, but every biennium thereafter, to make it sustainable,” said House Minority Leader Zach Ista, D-Grand Forks.

Ista is a sponsor of House Bill 1475, which was introduced by Rep. Patrick Hattelstad, R-Williston, and said he is supportive of both pieces of school meal legislation.

"Out on the campaign trail, talking with folks in our communities and our schools, there's just such a demand for this," Ista said. "Why haven't we been doing this all along?

"We send kids to school, we don't ask them to pay for their textbooks or their desks, or anything else they need to get through the day, so let's help them out in that way," he said.

Ista was holding a student-decorated paper bag containing breakfast provided by the North Dakota School Nutrition Association.

For around a decade, the group has hosted a free breakfast day for lawmakers with hopes they will find a compromise on a law that would provide students with free meals.

The association is one of more than 60 groups that make up Together For School Meals — a coalition of food security organizations in favor of passing free meal legislation.

Legislative chair of the North Dakota School Nutrition Association Michelle Wagner said the broad support has led to a different “vibe” surrounding the proposed bills compared to the last legislative session.

"The fact that we have a bipartisan bill is huge," Wagner said. "I would say it’s a better vibe than two years ago.

"They (lawmakers) just need to look at it from the standpoint of ‘we’re feeding kids.' You’re helping kids. It’s a good way to use that (state) money," she said. “It’s not like we’re giving them a card to go buy Cheetos and Jolly Ranchers, we’re giving them a meal that is scientifically proven to be the healthiest meal that they can eat."

Last session, legislators voted down then revived and passed a bill that allocated $6 million in one-time funding for free school meals for students who were at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. They also passed a bill that prevented schools from serving alternative meals to students who had low school meal account balances.

In voting against the bill that initially failed, Sen. Mike Wobbema, R-Valley City, said the free lunch program was a poor use of state resources.

“I can understand kids going hungry, but is that really the problem of the school district? Is that the problem of the state of North Dakota?" Wobbema said in 2023. "It’s really the problem of parents being negligent with their kids."

No hearings have been scheduled for either bill, but those interested in submitting testimony can do so online.

By Peyton Haug

Peyton Haug joined The Forum as the Bismarck correspondent in June 2024. She interned with the Duluth News Tribune as a reporting intern in 2022 while earning bachelor's degrees in journalism and geography at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Reach Peyton at phaug@forumcomm.com.