House narrowly votes down bill expanding free and reduced-price lunch program

The House voted to shelve a bill Thursday that would have increased how many students are eligible for reduced-price lunch in public school, after House Speaker Sherman Packard cast a tie-breaking vote to table it.

House Bill 1212 would raise the income limit at which a family qualifies for reduced-price lunch for their child from 185 percent of the federal poverty level to 350 percent of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, that would raise the total household income cap from $57,720 to $109,200.