SB4, the “Healthy Hunger-Free Students’ Bill of Rights Act,” expands “free” meals to all public, charter, and private school students attending schools that participate in the national school breakfast and lunch programs.
The Senate passed SB4 on March 4, 2023, by a vote of 35 to 0. We have assigned minuses to the yeas because neither feeding children nor educating them is the role of the government; rather, each of these responsibilities belongs to a child’s parents or family. Not only does charity have no part in the duty of government, but there can be no such thing as a “free” meal that comes at “no cost.” The reality is that this type of ‘cradle-to-grave’ program relies on the unconstitutional theft of taxpayer money for use on behalf of some citizens (particularly those who have little or no tax liability) at the expense of others—resulting in more debt, dependency, and poverty. The hard-working people of New Mexico should not be forced to fund all that now entails a compulsory, failing, and state-administered K-12 school system.