FISCAL NOTE
Date Requested: January 28, 2026
Time Requested: 04:27 PM |
| Agency: |
Education, WV State Board of |
|---|
| CBD Number: |
Version: |
Bill Number: |
Resolution Number: |
| 3023 |
Introduced |
HB4871 |
|
|---|
| CBD Subject: |
Education (K12) |
|---|
|
FUND(S):
N/A
Sources of Revenue:
Other Fund County Boards of Education
Legislation creates:
Increases Existing Expenses
Fiscal Note Summary
Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.
This proposed legislation requires each county board of education to make a vegetarian meal option, that meets Federal meal pattern requirements, available to all students enrolled in public schools.
This legislation, in its current form, would have no cost increase to the state agency, but would add additional cost to each county board of education. Many schools in WV operate on an offer versus serve basis, meaning the students can choose 3 of the 5 available meal components to produce a reimbursable meal. In those schools, students could refuse the meat option and choose additional items from the salad bar. In schools that do not operate offer versus serve, or the meal doesn’t have appropriate options to meet vegetarian guidelines, the school would have to offer an additional vegetarian item to replace the meat component. The cost would depend on many variables, such as the vegetarian options that are on contract or whether the board of education would need to perform a bid to secure vegetarian products. The cost of the products will vary from county to county depending upon their contract terms and what is available to them. How many meals are needed and how many meals will need a modification is another variable. Due to the high number of variables, it is not possible to provide an accurate estimated cost without further research. If we assume 500 vegetarian meals will need to be prepared each day across the state, and $3 per meal component cost (based on current cost per component cost numbers) the additional cost to county board of education would be between $250,000 and $300,000 per school year.
Fiscal Note Detail
| Effect of Proposal |
Fiscal Year |
2026
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
2027
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation) |
| 1. Estmated Total Cost |
150,000 |
200,000 |
300,000 |
| Personal Services |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Current Expenses |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Repairs and Alterations |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Assets |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 2. Estimated Total Revenues |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):
Due to the high number of variables that would have to be considered, it is not possible to provide an accurate estimated cost without further research. However, if we assume 500 vegetarian meals will need to be prepared each day across the state, and $3 per meal component cost (based on current cost per meal component numbers) the additional cost to county board of education would be between $250,000 and $300,000 per school year. This estimated cost could fluctuate up or down depending on the number of vegetarian meals requested each day.
Memorandum
N/A
Person submitting Fiscal Note: Tina Payne
Email Address: tina.a.payne@k12.wv.us