Free school breakfast/lunch bill moving forward in MN House

A bill to provide free school breakfast and lunch to all students regardless of income is moving forward in the Minnesota House after clearing its first committee Wednesday.  Backers say kids can’t learn on an empty stomach, and Moorhead Democrat Heather Keeler says the measure will also eliminate bullying:

“I had a district that would put stamps on kids’ hands, and you knew that that meant that you basically came from a family that didn’t have the money that everybody else had.  And we know how kids are:  I mean, kids get that way if you have nicer sneakers, or not.”

The bill is one of Governor Tim Walz and top Democrats’ top priorities for early-on in the 2023 legislative session.