Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · Bill
HB 96: School breakfast; availability at no cost to students.
In committee Official data
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed one chamber
- Passed both chambers
- Enacted
Last official action: ·Record last updated:
Plain-language summary
HB 96 is a bill introduced in the Virginia House on January 2, 2026. According to its official title, it concerns: School breakfast; availability at no cost to students. Primary sponsor: Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (Democratic). It lists 34 additional sponsors. Most recent recorded action (February 6, 2026): Continued to next session in Appropriations (Voice Vote).
Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written
Official summary
Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.
School breakfast; availability at no cost to students. Requires each school board to require each public elementary and secondary school in the local school division to participate in the federal National School Lunch Program and the federal School Breakfast Program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and to make breakfast available to any student who requests such a meal at no cost to the student, unless the student's parent has provided written permission to the school board to withhold such a meal from the student. The bill clarifies that the provision of a breakfast by a school to a student at no cost to the student shall not be construed as creating a disincentive for the school or local school division to participate in the federal Community Eligibility Provision program. Additionally, the bill provides that schools shall maximize the number of students who participate in the school breakfast program by implementing one or more suggested service models to increase access to such program. The bill requires the Department of Education to reimburse each public elementary and secondary school for each eligible school breakfast served to a student, with a maximum of one reimbursable breakfast per student per school day, and provides the formula for determining the state reimbursement rate for such meals. Finally, the bill repeals a provision of law relating to the federal School Breakfast Program that is rendered obsolete by the provisions of the bill. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Commission to End Hunger.
Sponsors
Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 26
| Name | Role | Party | Chamber | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Bennett-Parker | Primary sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 39 |
| Jessica L. Anderson | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Destiny LeVere Bolling | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 80 |
| Gretchen M. Bulova | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Katrina Callsen | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 54 |
| Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Stacey Annie Carroll | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Nadarius Clark | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 84 |
| Laura Jane Cohen | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 15 |
| Rae Cousins | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 79 |
| Mark C. Downey | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Michael Feggans | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 97 |
| Kelly Fowler | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 96 |
| Margaret A. Franklin | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Lily V. Franklin | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Debra Gardner | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 76 |
| Jackie Glass | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 93 |
| J.R. Henson | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 19 |
| Karen Keys-Gamarra | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 7 |
| Amy Laufer | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 55 |
| Michelle Lopes Maldonado | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Marty Martinez | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 29 |
| Adele McClure | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 2 |
| Garrett McGuire | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 17 |
| Leslie Chambers Mehta | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| May Nivar | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 57 |
| Cia Price | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 85 |
| Atoosa Reaser | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 27 |
| Irene Shin | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 8 |
| Shelly Simonds | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 70 |
| Rip Sullivan | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 6 |
| Josh Thomas | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 21 |
| Virgil Thornton | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 86 |
| Kathy Tran | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 18 |
| Vivian Watts | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 14 |
“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.
Recent official actions
- Continued to next session in Appropriations (Voice Vote)
- Subcommittee recommends continuing to (Voice Vote)
- Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB96)
- Assigned HAPP sub: Elementary & Secondary Education
- Reported from Education and referred to Appropriations (18-Y 4-N)
- Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N)
- Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee
- Referred to Committee on Education
- Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101172D