STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1406

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 659

S.D. 2

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 Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred S.B. No. 659, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Exempt purchases of fresh local agricultural products and local value-added, processed, agricultural, or food products of less than a certain dollar amount from the electronic procurement system, subject to certain requirements;

(2) Require the Department of Education to establish guidelines for determining a county-level geographic preference for locally sourced products when procuring products; and

(3) Exempt the Department of Education from the requirement that certain agricultural products be subject to the Hawaii Public Procurement Code.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; Department of Agriculture; City and County of Honolulu Office of Climate Change, Sustainability, and Resiliency; Local Food Coalition; Ulupono Initiative; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawai‘i Public Health Institute; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the State Procurement Office.

Your Committee finds that increasing the procurement of locally sourced agricultural products for public schools is essential to strengthening Hawaii's farm to school efforts. While section 302A-405.6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, mandates that at least thirty percent of school meals be sourced locally by 2030, existing procurement processes favor large, out-of-state suppliers, limiting opportunities for Hawaii's farmers and ranchers. This measure streamlines the procurement process by adjusting small purchase thresholds, exempting certain purchases from the Hawaii Public Procurement Code, and requiring the establishment of guidelines for geographic preferences for local products, strengthening the State's commitment to long-term food sustainability and student nutrition.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 659, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,

____________________________

KIRSTIN KAHALOA, Chair