Legislative Update from Rep. Ben Bakeberg

Dear Friends,

Last night, Democrats passed a bill to provide every child in Minnesota, regardless of income, with a free school breakfast and lunch every day. For the total price of $387 million dollars over the next two years, Minnesota schools will provide meals for every student, even kids whose parents do not need assistance paying for school lunches. This food will still have to meet USDA guidance which means that students may still need extra entrees or a la carte items in order to be full. Families will still have to pay for any extra food purchased.

No one wants hunger to get in the way of student success. However, this bill does not solve the problem of ensuring that every child is full. Republicans offered several amendments to try to make this bill better. I offered an amendment that would have used the funding for this bill and put it towards a formula funding increase. School boards, administrators, teachers, and parents know how to spend $387 million to support students in their communities. Instead of spending hundreds of millions dollars that doesn?t even solve our problem of alleviating student hunger, we should have given these funds directly to school districts.

You can watch my speech on this bill here.

This week in the Education Policy committee we heard HF 1269?which places more mandates on school districts and home school families. Learn more by clicking my photo below.

Please Contact Me

Please continue to reach out if I can be of any assistance to you. You can reach me by phone at 651-296-5185 or by email at rep.ben.bakeberg@house.mn.gov.?Please also follow me on Facebook where I post updates throughout the week.

Have a great weekend!?

Ben