AUGUSTA - Rep. Sue Salisbury, D-Westbrook, introduced legislation Wednesday before the Legislature's Education and Cultural Affairs Committee that would establish a fund to support the purchase of badly needed school kitchen and cafeteria equipment.
The School Meal Equipment and Program Improvement Fund would be housed within the Department of Education and issue grants to eligible schools for the purpose of purchasing kitchen and cafeteria equipment needed to provide nutritious meals to Maine students. The grants could also be used to support the purchase of separate equipment for students with food allergies.
"Increasing access to school meal programs has gone a long way to alleviate the food insecurity too many Maine children face," said Salisbury. "However, when schools have outdated or nonworking equipment, including big-ticket items like ovens and freezers, the expense of replacing the equipment isn't easily absorbed into already-constrained school budgets. This legislation establishes a pathway for schools to reliably access funding for these major equipment replacements so that they can continue to provide critically needed nutrition to our children."
Following an amendment presented by Salisbury, LD 1183 would first utilize the existing unspent funds from the Alternative Breakfast Delivery Service Program within the Department of Education, established in 2019.
The committee will hold a work session on the bill in the coming weeks.
Salisbury is serving her second term in the Maine House and represents District 128, part of Westbrook. She serves as House chair of the Legislature's Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Salisbury], c. 305-965-2744