A bipartisan bill to reduce school lunch debt is back, and it’s headed to the House floor after unanimous approval in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee.
Sponsored by Rep. Matt MacPherson, R-West Valley City, HB148 would allow Utahns to make a donation towards a school lunch debt relief program through their state tax forms, similar to other voluntary donation programs. The non-tax deductible donation would have no effect on state tax revenue.
“This was a pretty simple bill that we passed last year, it went unanimous in both the House and the Senate,” MacPherson told Utah News Dispatch. “Last year we ran it in the last two weeks of session, and we just ran out of time.”
School meals debts are “outstanding unpaid balances for school meals provided to students,” according to the bill. In 2025, Utah expanded its free lunch program for qualifying students.
MacPherson, who expects the bill “will pass through flying,” has garnered bipartisan support. HB148 is co-sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City.
“This is a really simple way that we could perhaps provide an avenue for taxpayers in the state to try to help tackle a problem, and it would allow pretty much anyone to make a dent into this, in any amount, small or large,” he said to the committee. “(It uses) a mechanism that’s already established and has operated successfully in a lot of other ways.”
MacPherson emphasized school lunch debt throughout Utah “is in the millions,” and the bill is “not intended to solve the problem, but perhaps make a dent in it.”
The bill requires the State Board of Education to gather data on school lunch debt statewide, as well as granting them full authority over the program.
“The State Board of Education would identify the total meals debt that’s outstanding by school district, and then would receive the funds that come from this account and appropriate it out appropriately to districts based on need,” MacPherson said.
While speaking with the Dispatch, he emphasized that the bill puts power in the hands of Utah’s Board of Education, saying “we’re leaving that all up to them, that’s my preference.”
“All is going to depend on how much money is there. If it’s a very small pot, they may have to be creative, because only giving a few dollars to each school may not be very effective,” he said. “They may want to tackle larger debts first. If it’s a larger pot of money, then maybe they’ll distribute it a little more evenly, but I want to leave it to them.”
It also includes a provision that would automatically cancel the program if it generates “less than $30,000 per year for three consecutive years,” according to the bill.
“It’s pretty simple, and it does have a very minor fiscal impact as far as setting up the fund,” he said. “It’s expected to generate $30,000 but again, if it doesn’t, then whatever costs associated (with) this will not be ongoing.”
This report was originally published at UtahNewsDispatch.com.
