School Meals Could Be Free For All New Mexico Kids

A $30 million dollar proposal could reshape school meals in New Mexico. State lawmakers are considering a bill that would pick up the breakfast and lunch tab for all K-12 public and charter schools. If it passes, the bill would give every student the option to get free food at school twice a day, regardless of their family's income.

This week on the podcast, Chris and Gabby discuss the state proposal with three guests, including an expert on the new bill and two people who could be affected by it. The Food and Hunger Coordinator for the Office of the Governor, Kendal Chavez, joins the podcast alongside a parent and school worker, Luis Ramos, and a New Mexico high school junior named Fernando.

How would the bill work? Why is it a priority for some? And how could this benefit schools without their own kitchens? Those questions and more are part of this week's discussion. If you want to take a closer look at the bill, here's a link to the text of Senate Bill 4. And here's a link to a KRQE News 13 story on the proposal.

Got a question, comment, or story idea? Contact us at chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. We welcome your episode ideas and feedback. Also, find us on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. For more on this episode and all of our prior episodes, visit our podcast website: KRQE.com/podcasts.