Republican incumbent K.C. Tomlinson is running for reelection in House District 18. Tomlinson says on her campaign website that she is committed to “strengthening and funding our public schools.” However, Rep. Tomlinson voted against HB 2180 earlier this year, which would provide free school lunches for K-12 public school students and help eliminate school meal debt. 

According to Penn Live, the bill would “bar public schools from denying students meals or forcing them to eat low-cost alternatives if they have been unable to pay for regular cafeteria food — a practice commonly called ‘lunch shaming.’” It would also “prohibit schools from restricting students’ ability to participate in school activities due to unpaid lunch bills and would set up an $80 million state fund to reimburse districts for forgiving students’ lunch debts.”

The Democratic candidate for House District 18 is Anand Patel. Patel, who previously served on the Bensalem School board, lists education as one of his top priorities on his campaign website. Patel says he “will ensure every student and teacher has what they need to succeed in the classroom” and that he will “vote for legislation that makes sure our schools receive their fair share of funding so every student can succeed.” 

Additionally, on a voter survey, Patel answered that he is against diverting funding away from public schools through a voucher system.