The North Dakota State Legislature convened for a three-day special session in January 2026. At the end of the session, Governor Kelly Armstrong signed a budget and four bills. Notably missing from the list of new laws was HB 1624: a North Dakota United-endorsed bill that would have provided breakfast and lunch to all K-12 students in North Dakota, at no cost to the student or their parent or guardian. The bill would have cost $65 million for its first year.
ND United President Nick Archuleta testified in favor of bill while it was considered in committee. “Universal school meals are not just about nutrition,” Archuleta wrote in his President’s Post e-newsletter, “They are about affordability and economic stability for working families. For many households, paying for school breakfast and lunch adds up to as much as $1,500 per child each year. Passing the universal meals amendment allows families to keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets, easing monthly budgets and reducing financial stress.”
Unfortunately, HB 1624 was defeated by the ND State Senate by a vote of 24-22 after passing in the House of Representatives by a vote of 55-38. Lawmakers who supported the bill made several arguments in favor of its passage. Some cited affordability: the bill would save families nearly $1,000 per student every school year. Others noted that recent polls (including from NDU) indicate that it is overwhelmingly popular, boasting approximately 80% favorability among eligible voters. Still others said they were only voting for it so the language of the bill would be put into
North Dakota Century Code, rather than the North Dakota Constitution (more on that later). Others simply said they were voting for it because they believe it’s the right thing to do.
Lawmakers who opposed the legislation erroneously said the legislation originated with out-of-state interests and that the bill would have placed an undue burden on rural schools.
Together for School Meals
The sponsors of HB 1624 said they drafted their bill in response to the ballot measure initiative run by the Together for School Meals coalition, which would place a nearly identical constitutional ballot measure on the ballot for the public to decide.
There are two differences between the proposed ballot measure and HB 1624: the first is that the proposed ballot measure would be a constitutional measure. That means, if the ballot measure is approved for the ballot and passed by voters, it will be amended to the North Dakota Constitution and would be difficult to remove or change. On the other hand, HB 1624 would have been placed in North Dakota Century Code, which means future legislative assemblies could adjust the law. The second difference is that the universal school meals provided for in HB 1624 would have begun in the fall of 2026; conversely, if the proposed ballot measure becomes law, universal school meals would begin in the fall of 2027.
North Dakota United is a proud member of the Together for School Meals coalition. At the time of writing, signature gatherers are still circulating petitions and are planning to place the measure on the November 2026 ballot.
