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Committee backs tax‑return check‑off to fund school meals; bill includes automatic repeal if underused
Summary
House Bill 476 would add a tax‑return donation option to fund school meals and would automatically repeal if donations remain below a threshold. The committee recommended the substitute unanimously.
Representative McPherson proposed a tax‑return donation option enabling taxpayers to donate on their state return to a fund for school‑meal debt relief and programs. The bill instructs the Utah State Board of Education to manage the fund and includes a built‑in sunset: if donations total less than $30,000 in any three‑year period the check‑off would automatically repeal.
Why it matters: The proposal aims to provide an optional private donation channel for school meal support without creating a new tax credit or appropriation. Sponsors said the mechanism is low cost to administer and provides a way for citizens to give directly via their tax return.
The Utah Taxpayers Association testified in support. The committee voted to recommend the substitute unanimously, and the sponsor said the bill’s administrative threshold and automatic repeal protect against an underused program becoming permanent without support.
