Gov. Cathy Hochul is backing a proposal to make school lunches universally free in a reversal after dismal poll results, but the program's hefty price tag remains a mystery for now.
Democrats will expand free breakfast and lunch to all public school students as part of next week's State of the Union address, after leaving similar proposals on the negotiating table during the past two years of budget negotiations. is proposed.
“We are fighting for every child in New York state to get the best outcome in life,” Hochul told a crowd Friday morning at Westbury Middle School in Nassau County.
“So we're going to talk about allowing New York State to start a universal school breakfast and lunch program everywhere,” she added. “The data is clear: It allows our children to lead positive lives while interacting with others.”
The move is another major failure for Hochul, who has spent at least the past two years in state budget negotiations defeating proposals for universal free school meals from the Legislature.
Provisions expanding access to free school meals were included in both the state Senate and Assembly's single-house budget proposals last year, but stalled during negotiations.
Two years ago, students piled up empty school lunch trays in front of the governor's office at the state Capitol to protest apparent reluctance to expand the program.
Some lawmakers praised the revived proposal.
“Working families across the state are demanding that we address rising rates of affordability and hunger,” Rep. Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas (D-Queens) said in a statement. “Today is a step toward ensuring that no student in New York schools goes hungry while learning.”
Gonzalez-Rojas, along with state Sen. Michelle Hinchey (D-Ulster), has sponsored legislation for several years to create a universal free school lunch program.
“The Governor’s commitment to fund the vision of a universal school lunch program in the Executive Budget is a monumental step forward for New York,” Hinchey said.
The governor confirmed to reporters after Friday's announcement that the proposal had already been submitted to the Legislature.
“This is something that many congressmen and senators have supported for many years,” Hochul said. “Attorney General Tish James has been advocating for this, and anyone who cares deeply about families understands how transformative this is.”
Hochul's office did not include an estimate of how much the plan would cost overall, but previous estimates put the state charging about $280 million a year for the program. was.
The latest poll released by Siena University showed that 57% of voters want a governor other than Hochul in 2026. The poll follows months of negative online favorability ratings for the governor.
