Feeding Our Children Bill 2/23/23

>> Barry: ALL RIGHT.

WE ALSO HAVE A QUESTION FROM A VIEWER ABOUT THE LEGISLATION THAT HAS BEEN MOVING TO DEAL WITH SCHOOL LUNCHES AND A FAIR AMOUNT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS.

VIEWER IS WANTING TO KNOW WHAT THE STATUS IS.

LET'S START WITH YOU, REPRESENTATIVE URDAHL, WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THE LEGISLATION DEALING WITH -- I THINK I'M ACCURATELY REFERRING TO IT AT FREE SCHOOL LUNCH FOR ALL STUDENTS BUT ESSENTIALLY NOT HAVING -- NOT REQUIRING PARENTS TO PAY.

REPRESENTATIVE URDAHL, YOUR COMMENTS ON THAT?

>> IT PASSED ON THE COMMITTEE I SERVE ON AND PASSED THE HOUSE FLOOR.

THE CONCERN THERE IS FOR A SIZEABLE NUMBER OF STUDENTS, THIS IS THEIR MAIN MEAL OF THE DAY.

THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY PAYING FOR IT.

THERE ARE THOSE THAT HAVE RUN UP A TAB.

WE DID DO A BILL ABOUT THIS TO RECTIFY IT.

BUT THERE'S THE LUNCH SHAMING WHERE THEY ARE GIVEN A CHEAPER LUNCH, AND WE TRIED TO GET AWAY FROM THAT.

BUT THERE ARE CONCERNS.

WE HAVE CHILDREN WHO NEED THE MEAL WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO PAY FOR IT AND ARE FALLING BEHIND.

THAT SAID, WE HAD SOME CONCERNS CERTAINLY WITH OUR HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS THAT WE SHOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE GIVING FREE LUNCHES TO THE CHILDREN OF PARENTS WHO CAN AFFORD IT.

THIS IS EVERYONE, WHETHER YOU HAVE A LOT OF MONEY IN THE BANK OR NONE AT ALL.

YOU GET YOUR CHILDREN -- YOUR CHILDREN GET A FREE LUNCH.

SOME WERE KIND OF CONCERNED THAT OKAY WE HAVE THE SITUATION WHERE WE WANT TO DO THE TOTAL EXEMPTION SOCIAL SECURITY BUT WE ARE TOLD CAN'T DO THAT, BECAUSE THEN YOU ARE GIVING A TAX BREAK TO THE RICH.

APPARENTLY IT'S WRONG TO DO WITH SOCIAL SECURITY, BUT YOU CAN GIVE A TAX BREAK TO THE RICH REGARDING SCHOOL LUNCHES.

MIGHT BE KIND OF A MINOR POINT, BUT IT WAS CONCERNING TO SOME.

BUT IT'S PASSED.

I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S GOT TO THE SENATE YET.

BUT I WOULD SAY THIS IS A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING ALONG.

>> Barry: REPRESENTATIVE PELOWSKI ON THIS.

>> IT PASSED.

I VOTED FOR IT.

I HAD SAME CONCERNS.

PANDEMIC ILLUSTRATED THE NEED FOR CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE GOOD MEAL A DAY.

I SUPPORT IT.

>> Barry: SENATOR HOWE.

>> WELL, I AGREE THAT RIGHT NOW THE FORMULA LOOKS -- >> Barry: MAYBE YOU SHOULD TELL US IF YOU KNOW WHAT THE STATUS OF THE BILL IS IN THE SENATE AS WELL.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S AT IN THE PROGRESS.

I KNOW IT'S HAD SOME HEARINGS.

I TALKED TO THE AUTHOR ON THE LATE NIGHT WE HAD TUESDAY NIGHT ABOUT THE BILL.

MY CONCERN IS I THINK, LIKE REPRESENTATIVE URDAHL DISCUSSED, IS YOU HAVE GOT THE MINNETONKAS AND EDINAS OF THE WORLD GETTING MORE MONEY TO THEIR SCHOOL THAN THE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE THE HIGHER FOLKS THAT QUALIFY FOR FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH.

SO IT SEEMS KIND OF UPSIDE DOWN IN THAT FORMULA AS THEY DO THAT.

THE OTHER THING THAT I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IS WHEN THEY SAY THIS IS THE ONLY MEAL THEY GET, YOU KNOW, IF THEY QUALIFY FOR REDUCED LUNCH, IF THEY HAVE -- I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE ALL THE MONEY IS GOING.

BECAUSE YOU HAVE GOT FOLKS OUT THERE WITH SNAP BENEFITS.

YOU HAVE GOT ALL THESE PROGRAMS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE AREN'T GOING HUNGRY AND YET FOR SOMEHOW THE KIDS DON'T GET FED AT SCHOOL OR THEY ARE NOT PAYING THEIR SCHOOL LUNCH.

I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHY THAT HAPPENS.

I THINK THAT'S BAD PARENTING IF THAT'S THE CASE.

YOU DON'T GET A CHEAPER MEAL THAN WHAT YOU GET AT A SCHOOL LUNCH, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.

THEY ARE VERY INEXPENSIVE.

THE PARENTS SHOULD STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR KIDS.

I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHY WE DO THIS.

IF WE WANT TO DO IT, FINE AND DANDY.

BUT IT'S A BIG PRICE TAG.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE THE SNAP BENEFITS AND ALL THE EBT CARDS ARE BEING PAID FOR IF THEY ARE NOT PAYING FOR THEIR KIDS SCHOOL LUNCH.