ELECTIONS, POLITICS, & GOVERNMENT
Utah lawmaker aims to spend more state liquor tax money on school lunches
Jan 26, 2026, 1:16 PM | Updated: 1:20 pm
Bottles of liquor on the shelf of a state liquor store in Salt Lake City. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
(Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah lawmaker wants to use more of the state’s liquor tax money to give kids free lunch at school.
The state already gives 10% of the state’s liquor tax revenue to the school meals program, but Utah Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla wants to up that to 20% and make sure that extra money fully covers the cost of school lunch for a select group of kids.
Escamilla’s bill would also expand the number of kids who would qualify for free lunches. As it’s currently written, the bill would provide free lunch to any kid who doesn’t qualify for reduced-cost lunches under the National School Lunch Program, and whose household income is at least 200% below the federal poverty level.
Escamilla said she believes there’s enough liquor tax money to work with to make sure these kids are fed.
“I want to make sure that we recognize that kids have no option here. If they’re hungry, the only place where they may get a nutritious meal… is at school,” Escamilla said.
She also thinks doing this will help the state with its goal of making sure kids are reading at their grade level.
Lawmakers have not discussed or voted on the bill yet. It’s currently set to take effect on July 1st if lawmakers and Gov. Spencer Cox give it a thumbs up.
