STAND. COM. REP. NO. 936

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1311

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 1311, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUSTAINABLE SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Education to:

(1) Establish locally sourced food and zero-emission vehicle goals as part of the sustainable schools initiative; and

(2) Submit annual reports to the Legislature.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i State Youth Commission, Hawai‘i Youth Climate Coalition, Hawaii Electric Vehicle Association, PlanIt, Ulupono Initiative, Americans for Democratic Action, Blue Planet Foundation, Hawai‘i Public Health Institute, and four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office and Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii imports more than six million pounds of food on a daily basis at a cost of more than $3,000,000,000 per year. An increase in locally sourced proteins and produce would simultaneously improve food quality and public health, boost the local economy, and improve overall food sustainability. Your Committee further finds that traditional internal combustion school bus engines emit exhaust, which children breathe in while riding buses and sitting in traffic, and can increase asthma and other health problems. In contrast, electric school buses provide potential benefits to the quality of student health, the environment, utility infrastructure, and cost savings. Additionally, electric buses have lower operational, maintenance, and labor costs than comparable buses powered by internal combustion engines and conversion of school buses to electronic powered transportation aligns with Hawai‘i's established goals of achieving a carbon-negative economy by 2045. This measure will engage students in sustainable living through establishing the goals of locally sourcing sixty percent of school food and providing students with zero-emission transportation in the future.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1311, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1311, S.D. 2.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair