requiring school districts to establish an online application for participation in the free and reduced price meal program.

HB 646 requires all school districts to establish an online application system for students to apply for free or reduced-price school meals. This directly affects public school districts by mandating a digital replacement for paper applications. The bill allocates $200,000 in state funding (ending June 30, 2027) to the Department of Education to provide grants of up to $7,500 per district for purchasing the necessary software. The key mechanism is the state-funded grant program to help districts implement the online application process.