Minnesota GOP lawmaker denies hunger in state, opposes free school lunches

Minnesota state senator Steve Drazkowski (R) claimed during a debate on a bill to provide free school meals to students that he had never met a person in Minnesota who was hungry. However, there were 5.5 million visits to Minnesotan food pantries in 2022, according to the nonprofit Hunger Solutions Minnesota. The bill ultimately passed 38-26 in the Senate, with four Republicans joining the Democratic majority in voting yes. Critics acknowledged a food insecurity issue in the state but questioned the cost of the bill — around $200 million per year — and argued that schools had higher-priority needs.