An Act to Provide Free School Lunches to Special Purpose Private
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0776
Sponsors: O'HALLORAN
Amends: 20-A MRSA §6602

Legislative Document
No. 776
H.P. 501
House of Representatives, March 4, 2025
An Act to Provide Free School Lunches to Special Purpose Private 
Schools That Receive Students from the Public School System
Received by the Clerk of the House on February 26, 2025.  Referred to the Committee on 
Education and Cultural Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to 
Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative O'HALLORAN of Brewer.
Cosponsored by Representatives: BUNKER of Farmington, DEBRITO of Waterville, DILL of 
Old Town, HENDERSON of Rumford, MILLIKEN of Blue Hill, MONTELL of Gardiner, 
ROLLINS of Augusta, WEBB of Durham.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §6602, sub-§1, ¶D, as amended by PL 2021, c. 759, Pt. D, 
§2, is further amended to read:
D.  A public school, a special purpose private school that receives publicly funded 
students or a private school approved for tuition purposes, as defined in section 1, 
subsection 23, that enrolls at least 60% publicly funded students as determined by the 
previous year's October and April average enrollment and participates in the National 
School Lunch Program in accordance with 7 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 210 
(2007) that serves lunch shall provide a student who is eligible for free and reduced-
price meals under paragraph A a meal that meets the requirements of the federal 
National School Lunch Program set forth in 7 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 210 
(2019) at no cost to the student.  The State shall provide to the public school, special 
purpose private school or private school approved for tuition purposes funding equal 
to the difference between the federal reimbursement for a free lunch and the federal 
reimbursement for a reduced-price lunch for each student eligible for a reduced-price 
lunch and receiving lunch.
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §6602, sub-§1, ¶I, as amended by PL 2021, c. 759, Pt. D, §4, 
is further amended to read:
I.  A public school, a special purpose private school that receives publicly funded 
students or a private school approved for tuition purposes, as defined in section 1, 
subsection 23, that enrolls at least 60% publicly funded students as determined by the 
previous year's October and April average enrollment and participates in the National 
School Lunch Program in accordance with 7 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 210 
(2007) that serves lunch shall provide a student who is ineligible for free or reduced-
price meals under paragraph A a meal that meets the requirements of the federal 
National School Lunch Program set forth in 7 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 210 
(2019) at no cost to the student.  The State shall provide to the public school, special 
purpose private school or private school approved for tuition purposes funding equal 
to the difference between the federal reimbursement for a free lunch and the full price 
of the lunch for each student ineligible for a free or reduced-price lunch and receiving 
lunch.
SUMMARY
This bill amends the laws governing school food service programs to provide free 
school lunches to special purpose private schools that receive publicly funded students and 
participate in the National School Lunch Program in accordance with 7 Code of Federal 
Regulations, Part 210 (2007).