The Legislature will consider two bills on school lunches during its special session this week.
One, introduced by Rep. Mike Nathe (R-Bismacrk) would mandate the state cover the costs of free school meals for all K-12 students. It’s virtually the same as a proposed state Constitutional measure, brought by citizen initiative.
"Let's face it — this bill is going to pass at the pools, whether we wanted to do it, or not," Nathe told the Legislative Management Committee, acting as a de-facto delayed bills committee. "I want to pass this bill. Let's put it in the code, because the outpouring of public support for this idea is enormous. If we do that, we'll do the right thing."
Nathe said having this in code, rather than the Constitution, gives legislators some control over spending.
"Future legislators need the flexibility , in case we hit a financial storm, and we need to fund K-12 or other things," Nathe said. "If this goes into the Constitution, future legislatures arfe going to be tied, having to pay that mandatory, Constitutional spending authority."
Nathe told the Committee the group circulating the initiated measure supports his bill.
The second measure was introduced by Rep. Ty Dressler (R-Richardton). His bill would expand eligibility for school meals to families at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level.
HELP FOR ELGIN HOSPITAL
The Committee also approved introduction of a measure toto keep the financially troubled Jacobson Memorial Hospital in Elgin open.
It is one of the state’s critical access hospitals.
The measure would provide $10 million for emergency loans, administered by the Bank of North Dakota.
"We totally understand that a special session to handle the allocation of the rural health care money is the reason," the bill's sponsor, Sen. Donald Schiable (R-Mott) told the committee. "We normally could wait for a regular session to introduce such a bill. But unfortunately, the Jacobsen Memorial Hospital may not be able to survive until a regular session. With their financial situation, in my opinion, this is their only hope."
