On Wednesday, the Nevada State Democratic Party hosted a press conference focusing on Governor Joe Lombardo's veto of 2023's school lunch bill.
Both Nevada State Democrats and the Washoe County School District are saying Nevada families have racked up upwards of $100,000 in school lunch debt in the time since the veto, while leaving 46,000 Nevadans losing access to food assistance.
However, the Governor's Office responded to us, saying that through existing programs, every Nevada student in need has access to free meals.
The Governor's Office added that 80% of students are already automatically eligible for free school meals.
Additionally, they say that at the beginning of the 2025 legislative session, the governor promised to evaluate new school lunch funding proposals. They say a bill was presented, but Democratic leadership did not move the bill from the first committee.
Erica Roth, the Assembly Member from District 24, says, "National School Lunch Week is coinciding with historic cuts to these programs in the state. Not only is SNAP being cut, but we also weren't able to fund free school lunches for our students in this last legislative session because of Joe Lombardo."
Roth adds, "When we invest in these programs, we're investing not just in our students' academics, we are investing in their futures and their ability to rise and succeed in our communities. And so, it is not just enough that we -- we must be steadfast in ensuring that we are contributing to these programs and that we continue to fight even if Joe Lombardo refuses to acknowledge that."
The Washoe County School District Board of Trustees also responded to this from their meeting yesterday, saying that thousands of WCSD students individually are carrying unpaid school meal balances at any given time, today cumulatively totaling over $100,000.
The board explained that all students at two-thirds of their schools receive meals for free, and more than 5,000 students at the remaining third of schools qualify for free meals based on their individual household circumstances.
Natha Anderson, an Assembly Member from District 30, pointed out that there are a few different ways children can get food assistance.
Among those options are The Children's Cabinet, the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, and Catholic Charities.
Affected families can also reach out to the Nevada Legislature by clicking the link here.
