Governor Gretchen Whitmer is pushing for free school meals to remain in the final state budget. Whitmer on Monday served meals to students at Hamilton Early Childhood Center in Kentwood to highlight the program that started with the 2023-2024 school year. Whitmer said when the budget does reach her desk, it will have to be some compromise between the two. And the budget that I introduced 130 days ago or 230 days ago, however many days it’s been. That’s what negotiation is.”The cost to the state for free school meals in the 2025 budget was $200 million.