STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1216-16

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2426

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2426 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STUDENT MEALS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to ensure that students in public schools are provided with sufficient nutrition by:

 

     (1)  Prohibiting the denial of a meal for a student under the school meals program:

 

          (A) Within the first 30 days of a semester while the student's application for free or reduced lunch is being processed; or

 

          (B)  Within one week following the student's meal fund account reaching a zero or negative balance; and

 

     (2) Authorizing the Department of Education to adopt rules or policies governing the collection of funds for student meal accounts with negative fund balances.

 

     The United Public Workers, AFSCME, Local 646, LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and a concerned individual supported this measure.  The Hawaii State Teachers Association supported the measure with amendments.  The Department of Education submitted comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that the Department of Education cannot deny a meal for a student under the school meals program within the first 30 days of the first semester of a school year while the student's application for free or reduced lunch is being processed; and

 

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2426, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2426, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair