Free school breakfast program

(a) In general Section 4(a) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773(a)) is amended, in the first sentence— (1) by striking is hereby and inserting are; and (2) by inserting to provide free breakfast to all children enrolled at those schools before in accordance. (b) Apportionment to States Section 4(b) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773(b)) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1)— (A) in subparagraph (A)(i), by striking subclause (II) and inserting the following: (II) the national average payment for free breakfasts, as specified in subparagraph (B).; (B) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the following: (B) Payment amounts (i) In general The national average payment for each free breakfast shall be $3.28, adjusted annually for inflation in accordance with clause (ii) and rounded in accordance with clause (iii). (ii) Inflation adjustment (I) In general The annual inflation adjustment under clause (i) shall reflect changes in the cost of operating the free breakfast program under this section, as indicated by the change in the Consumer Price Index for food away from home for all urban consumers. (II) Basis Each inflation annual adjustment under clause (i) shall reflect the changes in the Consumer Price Index for food away from home for the most recent 12-month period for which that data is available. (iii) Rounding On July 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the national average payment rate for free breakfast shall be— (I) adjusted to the nearest lower-cent increment; and (II) based on the unrounded amounts for the preceding 12-month period.; (C) by striking subparagraphs (C) and (E); and (D) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (C); (2) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3); (3) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively; and (4) in paragraph (3) (as so redesignated), by striking paragraph (3) or (4) and inserting paragraph (2). (c) State disbursement to schools Section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773) is amended by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following: (c) State disbursement to schools Funds apportioned and paid to any State for the purpose of this section shall be disbursed by the State educational agency to schools selected by the State educational agency to assist those schools in operating a breakfast program.. (d) No collection of debt (1) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.) or any other provision of law, effective beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, as a condition of participation in the breakfast program under section 4 of that Act (42 U.S.C. 1773), a school— (A) shall not collect any debt owed to the school for unpaid meal charges; and (B) shall continue to accrue debt for unpaid meal charges— (i) for the purpose of receiving reimbursement under section 212; and (ii) until the effective date specified in section 2. (2) Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (A) In general Section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773) is amended by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following: (d) No collection of debt A school participating in the free breakfast program under this section shall not collect any debt owed to the school for unpaid meal charges.. (B) Conforming amendment Section 23(a) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1793(a)) is amended by striking school in severe need, as described in section 4(d)(1) and inserting the following: school— (1) that has a free breakfast program under section 4 or seeks to initiate a free breakfast program under that section; and (2) of which not less than 40 percent of the students are economically disadvantaged students (as identified under a measure described in section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6313(a)(5))). (e) Nutritional and other program requirements Section 4(e) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773(e)) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1)(A), in the second sentence, by striking free or and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting free to all children enrolled at a school participating in the school breakfast program.; and (2) in paragraph (2), in the second sentence, by striking the full charge to the student for a breakfast meeting the requirements of this section or. (f) Prohibition on breakfast shaming, meal denial (1) In general Effective beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, a school or school food authority— (A) shall not— (i) physically segregate for the purpose of debt shaming or otherwise discriminate against any child participating in the breakfast program under section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773); or (ii) overtly identify a child described in clause (i) by a special token or ticket, an announced or published list of names, or any other means; and (B) shall provide the program meal to any child eligible under the program. (2) Child Nutrition Act of 1966 Section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773) is amended by adding at the end the following: (f) Prohibition on breakfast shaming A school or school food authority shall not— (1) physically segregate for the purpose of debt shaming or otherwise discriminate against any child participating in the free breakfast program under this section; or (2) overtly identify a child described in paragraph (1) by a special token or ticket, an announced or published list of names, or any other means.. (g) Department of Defense Overseas Dependents' Schools Section 20(b) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1789(b)) is amended by striking and shall determine and all that follows through under this section.. (h) Conforming amendments The Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.) is amended— (1) by striking or reduced price each place it appears; (2) by striking and reduced price each place it appears; and (3) by striking a reduced price each place it appears.