HB 12 Alaska House · 34th Legislature (2025-2026)

An Act relating to free breakfast and lunch in public schools.

HB 12 requires Alaska public school districts to provide free breakfast and lunch to any student who requests these meals, with no cost to the student. The state department of education must fund this through state appropriations and maximize federal funding available for school meals. This policy directly affects all Alaska public school students who request breakfast or lunch, ensuring meal access regardless of family income. The bill does not change eligibility criteria but mandates that districts offer these meals at no cost to students who ask for them.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 22, 2025 Last action Apr 15, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB 12 → CSHB 12(EDC) · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised from a proposal to provide free meals to all students to a plan establishing a specific fund for reduced-price meals for eligible students. The changes shift the focus from universal free breakfast and lunch to a targeted program funded by state appropriations and optional contributions from Permanent Fund dividends. New sections were added to create the 'public school reduced-price meal fund' and to allow residents to direct a portion of their dividend payments to this fund.

Scope change

The bill's scope narrowed from providing free meals to every student who requests one to providing reduced-price meals only to students eligible under federal national school meal programs.

SCOPE

The primary goal changed from providing free breakfast and lunch to any student to providing reduced-price meals only to students eligible under federal programs.

FISCAL

A new 'public school reduced-price meal fund' was established in the general fund, consisting of legislative appropriations, donations, and interest.

The bill now allows applicants to direct a portion of their Permanent Fund dividend to the new meal fund, with specific contribution amounts and administrative fee provisions.

DEFINITION

New definitions were added to clarify what constitutes a 'national school meal program' and a 'reduced-price meal'.

REQUIREMENT

New requirements were added for the Department of Revenue to list eligible organizations on a searchable database and to withhold coordination fees from receiving organizations.

TIMELINE

The effective date was updated to July 1, 2026, and the bill session changed from the First Session to the Second Session.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

(H) Moved CSHB 12(EDC) Out of Committee

lower

Apr 13, 2026

Committee

(H) REFERRED TO FINANCE

lower

1 primary · 3 co-sponsors