STAND. COM. REP. NO. 565

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 757

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. 757 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Education to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students enrolled in a Department school beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Mayor of Maui County; one member of the Hawaiʻi County Council; Maui County Department of Agriculture; Department of Research and Development of the County of Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Youth Services Network; Malama Kauaʻi; American Association of University Women of Hawaiʻi; Green Party of Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Indivisible Hawaiʻi Working Families Team; Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action; Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Education Caucus; Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!; Faith Action for Community Equity; Save Medicaid Hawaii; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy; Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute; Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi; Early Childhood Action Strategy; Hawaiʻi Foodbank; Maui Food Bank; Chamber of Sustainable Commerce; AlohaCare; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice; Hawaiʻi Hunger Action Network; Light of the Whirl Health Care LLC; HawaiiKidsCAN; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in support of the intent of this measure from the Department of Education. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that food-insecure students are at higher risk of stress, depression, and chronic illness, all of which undermine their ability to focus, engage in the classroom, and reach their full academic potential. Your Committee further finds that the existing income eligibility threshold for free school meals, which requires a family of four to earn less than $47,000 annually, is far too low, as around $110,000 is needed to cover basic living costs in Hawaii.

Your Committee also finds that universal free school meal programs improve educational outcomes. Your Committee notes that eight states have adopted free school meals, with research showing that access to free meals can increase test scores at a rate equivalent to six additional weeks of school. This measure will provide universal free school breakfasts and lunches to students in public schools under the Department of Education to ensure each student's wellness through receiving a meal in school.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000.

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. 757, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 757, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair