BISMARCK — North Dakota legislators are preparing for the impact of a free school meals program that could be considered by voters next year.

But predicting how much it will cost the state is challenging, in part because it’s tough to know how many students would eat breakfast and lunch at school if meals are free, Lynelle Johnson, director of child nutrition and food distribution for the Department of Public Instruction, told lawmakers this week.

“We can’t predict future participation,” Johnson told members of the Budget Section Education and Environment Division.

Johnson previously estimated providing free school meals to North Dakota students would cost $140 million for two years. Since a ballot measure was proposed to put the issue to voters, Johnson looked at the numbers again an

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