As a deadline looms for states to opt into a federal program to feed low-income kids during the summer, Gov. Bill Lee has yet to announce whether Tennessee will participate.
States have until Jan. 1 to decide whether they will give families with children the opportunity to draw on the federal nutrition program funding in 2026.
Last year, citing rising administrative costs to the state, Lee made the decision to forgo Tennessee’s participation in Summer EBT, rejecting $84 million in federal funding allocated to feed more than 700,000 Tennessee children living in poverty during summer break, when in-school free and reduced costs breakfast and lunch are not available.
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Lee has thus far declined to reveal his decision about whether Tennessee will rejoin the program, known as Sun Bucks, for the summer of 2026. The governor’s office did not respond to emailed questions Monday.