HB 704

Community Eligibility Provision Expansion Program - Establishment

Sponsor: Julie Palakovich Carr (District 17)Committee: AppropriationsSubject: Primary and Secondary EducationStatus: Hearing 2/17 at 1:00 p.m. (Appropriations) and Hearing canceled (Ways and Means) (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Establishing the Community Eligibility Provision Expansion Program in the State Department of Education to provide funding to eligible schools that participate in the federal community eligibility provision of the child nutrition programs; requiring schools that opt out of the Community Eligibility Provision of the Child Nutrition Program to include certain information in a certain report; and requiring the Governor in fiscal year 2028 and succeeding years to include $10,000,000 in the annual budget bill for the Program.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (31)

MGA witness list

FAV 28FavorableFWA 2Favorable with amendmentsUNF 1Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Sadwin, Rabbi Ariel	Agudath Israel of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hale, Lauralobbyist	American Heart Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Alemi, Lindsaylobbyist	Anne Arundel County Food Bank	Written (PDF)
FAV	Maroney, Meghan	Center for Science in the Public Interest	Written (PDF)
FAV	Mandel, Steven	Critical Issues Forum	Written (PDF)
FAV	Greene, Johntel	Good Governance Consulting	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Murphy, JD	MD Chesapeake Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)	Position only
FAV	Rice, Craig	Manna Food Center	Written (PDF)
FAV	Mathias, Sam	Maryland Association of Boards of Education	Written (PDF)
FAV	Sadwin, Ariellobbyist	Maryland CAPE	Written (PDF)
FAV	Schumitz, Kalilobbyist	Maryland Center on Economic Policy	Written (PDF)
FAV	Wallerstedt, Annelobbyist	Maryland Food Bank	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Gross, Julia	Maryland Hunger Solutions	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Avila, Jason	Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus	Written (PDF)
FAV	Cratsley, Laurel	Maryland State Department of Education	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lamb, Laurenlobbyist	Maryland State Education Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Frey, Leslie	Montgomery County	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hart-Bookbinder, Annmarie	Montgomery County Food Council	Written (PDF)
FAV	Frost, Lesley	Nationa Council of Jewish Women, MD Action Team	Written (PDF)
FAV	Snyder, Co-Chair, Abby	Poverty Free Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Funk, Kenzie	Strong Schools Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Schneider, Glennlobbyist	The Horizon Foundation	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Palakovich Carr, Delegate Palakovich Carrlegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Fannon, Mary Patlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Krone, Christinelobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Palakovich Carr, Julie	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Racine, Paige	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Rosen, Julie	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Price, Suzanne	Concerned Citizen	Position only
FWA	Sterrette, Dawana	Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners	Written (PDF)
FWA	O'Day, Garrettlobbyist	Maryland Catholic Conference	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Agudath Israel of MarylandFAV 1

American Heart AssociationFAV 1

Anne Arundel County Food BankFAV 1

Baltimore City Board of School CommissionersFWA 1

Center for Science in the Public InterestFAV 1

Concerned CitizenUNF 1

Critical Issues ForumFAV 1

Good Governance ConsultingFAV 1

Manna Food CenterFAV 1

Maryland Association of Boards of EducationFAV 1

Maryland CAPEFAV 1

Maryland Catholic ConferenceFWA 1

Maryland Center on Economic PolicyFAV 1

Maryland Food BankFAV 1

Maryland Hunger SolutionsFAV 1

Maryland Legislative Latino CaucusFAV 1

Maryland State Department of EducationFAV 1

Maryland State Education AssociationFAV 1

MD Chesapeake Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)FAV 1

Montgomery CountyFAV 1

Montgomery County Food CouncilFAV 1

Nationa Council of Jewish Women, MD Action TeamFAV 1

Poverty Free MarylandFAV 1

Strong Schools MarylandFAV 1

The Horizon FoundationFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVHale, LauraAmerican Heart AssociationRegistered for: American Heart Association

FAVAlemi, LindsayAnne Arundel County Food BankRegistered for: Anne Arundel County Food Bank

FAVSadwin, ArielMaryland CAPERegistered for: Agudath Israel of Maryland

FAVSchumitz, KaliMaryland Center on Economic PolicyRegistered for: Maryland Center on Economic Policy

FAVWallerstedt, AnneMaryland Food BankRegistered for: Maryland Food Bank

FAVLamb, LaurenMaryland State Education AssociationRegistered for: Maryland State Education Association

FAVSchneider, GlennThe Horizon FoundationRegistered for: Horizon Foundation of Howard County, Inc., The

FAVFannon, Mary PatRegistered for: Public School Superintendents' Association of Maryland

FAVKrone, ChristineRegistered for: American Coatings Association; Baltimore Gas and Electric Company; City of Rockville; Coordinating Center for Home and Community Care, The, LLC (dba The Coordinating Center); Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work, Inc.; LifeSpan Network…

FWAO'Day, GarrettMaryland Catholic ConferenceRegistered for: Maryland Catholic Conference