STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1964

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 894

S.D. 3

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 Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 894, S.D. 3, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to fulfill the Department of Education's statutory mandate to provide farm to school meals that consist of at least thirty percent locally sourced products by appropriating funds to the Department of Education for statewide regional kitchen expansion.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Agribusiness Development Corporation; University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience; Hawai‘i State Youth Commission; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawaii Cattleman's Council, Inc.; Hawai‘i Foodbank; and four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education and Hawai‘i Farmers Union.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 894, S.D. 3, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair