A new bill filed by State Rep. Cecil Brockman in the North Carolina House seeks to ensure free meals for all public school students following federal nutrition guidelines, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 713 on April 2 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Universal Free Breakfast and Lunch.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill mandates the provision of free breakfast and lunch to students in public schools across North Carolina, following federal guidelines established by the USDA. The State Board of Education will allocate funds for these nutrition services based on evaluations of the school food authorities, accounting for factors like school size and past expenditures. The board must ensure fair distribution of funds and issue allocations at the start of each fiscal year, with up to 10% reserved for later distribution. Schools must strive to use high-quality, locally sourced ingredients. An appropriation of $144 million from the General Fund will support these services for the 2025-26 fiscal year, and if necessary, additional funds may come from State Aid for Public Schools. Section 2 takes effect July 1, 2025, with the rest applicable starting the 2025-26 school year.
Of the four sponsors of this bill, Allen Buansi proposed the most bills (18) during the 2025 regular session.
Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
Brockman graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2006 with a BA.
Brockman, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2015 to represent the state’s 60th House district, replacing previous state representative Marcus Brandon.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cecil Brockman, Allen Buansi, Amos L. Quick, III, and Ya Liu | HB 713 | 04/02/2025 | Universal Free Breakfast and Lunch. |
| Cecil Brockman, Amber M. Baker, Frances Jackson, PhD, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 709 | 04/02/2025 | K-3 Literacy and Improvement Act. |
| Cecil Brockman | HB 712 | 04/02/2025 | Universal Income/Pay-It-Forward Fund. |
| Cecil Brockman and Carla D. Cunningham | HB 714 | 04/02/2025 | Universal Healthcare. |
| Cecil Brockman, Brandon Lofton, Carla D. Cunningham, and Cynthia Ball | HB 715 | 04/02/2025 | Universal Pre-K. |
| Cecil Brockman, Allen Buansi, Charles Smith, and Vernetta Alston | HB 722 | 04/02/2025 | Enact Criminal Justice Debt Reform. |
| Cecil Brockman and Amos L. Quick, III | HB 317 | 03/05/2025 | Restore Down-Zoning Auth./City of High Point. |
