STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1192

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 66

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Health and Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 66 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE CONVENING OF A TASK FORCE TO DETERMINE HOW TO EXPAND SCHOOL GARDENS PROGRAMS STATEWIDE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to support school gardens by requesting the convening of a task force to determine how to expand school garden programs statewide.   

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa; Department of Health; Department of Education; College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo; American Cancer Society; Hawaii Association of Independent Schools; Hawai‘i Island School Garden Network; Kokua Hawai‘i Foundation; Hawaii School Garden Hui; NatureTalks, LLC; Hawaii County Nutrition and Physical Activity Coalition; and five individuals.

     Your Committees find that farm to school programs, such as programs that involve planting and tending school gardens, have proven successful in supplying high quality food, as well as providing students with knowledge that enhances their educational experience and cultivates long-term healthy habits.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing the specific reference to the Office of Hawaii Child Nutrition Programs; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 66, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 66, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Education,

____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair

____________________________ JOSH GREEN, M.D., Chair