STAND. COM. REP. NO. 45

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 328

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 328 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Education to authorize and facilitate complex areas or individual department schools to form their own Farm to School Meal Programs; and

(2) Authorize the Department of Education to establish a plant-based meal program to provide a plant-based meal as an option under the school meals program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; one member of the Hawaiʻi County Council; Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action; Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute; Green Party of Hawaiʻi; Climate Protectors Hawaiʻi; Down to Earth Organic and Natural; 350Hawaii.org; Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United; Chamber of Sustainable Commerce; Hawaiʻi Youth Food Council; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Strata Farms LLC; Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that setting a target goal of food served in public schools to consist of locally sourced products is of great benefit for the health of Hawaii's students. Establishing a partnership between schools and nonprofit organizations or private entities to meet these target goals will increase student meal participation, reduce food waste, increase cost savings, and significantly increase the amount of locally sourced food served in school cafeterias. Additionally, offering plant-based meals in public schools can also greatly increase demand for local greens and encourage students to engage in healthy nutrition. This measure promotes local farming jobs and agriculture through incentives for public schools and expanding meal options for students.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have authorized the Department of Education to accept public or private donations or grants from individuals and other agencies to support the Farm to School Meal Programs;

(2) Inserting language that authorizes public schools to accept donations or contributions from individuals, nonprofit organizations, or private entities to support the farm to school meal program, subject to approval of the Superintendent of Education;

(3) Clarifying the applicability of the farm to school programs to the Department of Education and public schools;

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000; and

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

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 H.B. No. 328, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 328, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair