H.R. 4451: Caregivers, Access, and Responsible Expansion for Kids Act of 2025

The bill, known as the Caregivers, Access, and Responsible Expansion for Kids Act of 2025, aims to amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to improve and expand the eligibility for the school lunch program in the United States. Below is a summary of the main provisions of the bill:

1. Short Title

This legislation may be cited as the "CARE for Kids Act of 2025."

2. Enhancing Direct Certification

The bill proposes changes to enhance direct certification processes in the school lunch program, specifically:

• Including schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Education in eligibility certification.
• Adding categories for children who qualify for direct certification based on their placement with caregivers, including:
• Children placed by social services agencies.
• Children receiving adoption assistance.
• Children receiving kinship guardianship payments.
• Children living with caregivers (such as grandparents) who qualify under specific housing conditions.

3. Extended Eligibility for Transferred Children

The bill also addresses the issue of children who transfer schools. It aims to ensure:

• Eligibility determinations for children who were already approved for free or reduced-price meals are honored by new schools they transfer to.
• An extended eligibility period for these children if they have recently begun living with a caregiver.

4. Expanding Automatic Eligibility

Automatic eligibility for children to receive meal benefits would be expanded, including provisions for:

• Children previously placed under the care of agencies.
• Children receiving specific forms of assistance due to living conditions or caregivers.

5. Medicaid Direct Certification

The bill proposes that children receiving medical assistance through Medicaid also qualify as eligible children under the school lunch program. This includes children who qualify based on their family's receipt of certain types of aid or assistance.

Relevant Companies

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