STAND. COM. REP. NO. 951-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 2156

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2156, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department of Education (DOE) to establish a Farm to School Program that includes funding for the establishment of two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) farm to school staff positions in the DOE. This measure also requires the farm to school coordinator of the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to work in collaboration with the DOE on any Farm to School Program.

The Office of the Lieutenant Governor, DOE, DOA, Blue Zones Project – Hawaii, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Hawai‘i Pacific Health, Hawai‘i Primary Care Association, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Hawai‘i Public Health Institute, Hawaii State Teachers Association, MA la‘ai: The Culinary Garden of Waimea Middle School, Ka Ohana O Na Pua, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc., The Kohala Center, Kokua Hawai‘i Foundation, Local Food Coalition, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Pioneering Healthier Communities of Honolulu, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Children's Action Network, and numerous individuals supported this measure. An individual opposed this measure. The Department of Health, American Heart Association, and Kamehameha Schools provided comments on this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2156, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair