THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	3297
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to the national school lunch program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the coronavirus disease 2019 has shifted in-person learning in schools to hybrid methods with distance learning and staggered schedules during the week as well as critical changes to breakfast and lunch meal distribution. As access to school meals are an important part of a child's health and well-being at school, it is imperative that the department of education utilizes every federal program that provides free and reduced meals for students.

The legislature further finds that the department of education foods services branch was able to secure and distribute meals during the pandemic with the United States Department of Agriculture National School Lunch Program Grab & Go Meals at the schools' sites. Unfortunately, the department of education's school foods services branch, which manages the National School Lunch Program, provides administrative and operational meal support for Hawai‘i's public schools but not the state charter schools. The legislature also finds that the public and state charter schools in rural areas on the neighbor islands require additional staff to support the National School Lunch Program initiatives, promote effectiveness at the local level with parents and teachers, and improve efficiency by eliminating the delay in communication with the department of education's school food services branch.

The purpose of this Act is to provide funding to the department of education's school food services branch for full-time equivalent positions and staff member positions at each public and state charter school for the school food services branch to manage the National School Lunch Program.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the establishment of            full-time equivalent (      FTE) positions within the department of education school food services branch and            staff member positions to be placed at each public school to manage the National School Lunch Program.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the establishment of       full-time equivalent (      FTE) staff member positions to be placed at each state charter school to manage the National School Lunch Program.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the state public charter school commission for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2022.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

National School Lunch Program; Department of Education; State Public Charter School Commission; Food Services Branch; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds to the Department of Education and State Public Charter School Commission for full-time equivalent positions and staff member positions at each public and charter school to manage the National School Lunch Program.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.