Contact:
Mara Powell
mpowell@kyyouth.org

Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director, Kentucky Youth Advocates

LOUISVILLE, KY – Today, Senate Bill 151 unanimously received its final passage by the Kentucky House and now advances to the Governor’s desk for signature. This measure, sponsored by Senator Jason Howell, clarifies the current law to give school districts the option to serve students on free and reduced meals their breakfast during the first 15 minutes of the day. We thank House members for supporting student health and recognizing the connection between eating breakfast and academic achievement, especially during National Nutrition Month.

Students who start their school day with a full belly are more likely to perform better on tests, attend more days of school, and graduate from high school – setting them on a path to become less likely to struggle with hunger as adults. With SB 151 enacted, nearly 273,000 eligible Kentucky kids, who are missing out on eating school breakfast due to circumstances out of their control, will now have access to a free meal without missing important instructional time.

We thank Senator Howell and Representative Steve Riley for championing SB 151 and bringing awareness to the urgent need to reduce student hunger.

Stay up-to-date on Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children priorities and other bills that are good for kids on our Kentucky General Assembly Bill Tracker.

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About Kentucky Youth Advocates
Kentucky Youth Advocates believes all children deserve to be safe, healthy, and secure. As THE independent voice for Kentucky’s children, we work to ensure policymakers create investments and policies that are good for children. Learn more at www.kyyouth.org.