STAND. COM. REP. NO. 830

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 894

S.D. 3

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 894, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Education to fulfill its statutory mandate to provide farm to school meals that consist of at least thirty percent locally sourced products.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Agribusiness Development Corporation; Department of Agriculture; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Education; Hawaii Farm Bureau; and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that appropriating moneys to the Department of Education in support of the Farm to School program will allow the Department to upgrade school facilities to better support the preparation and service of locally grown food in school meals. Your Committee further finds that creating regional kitchens as part of the infrastructure of Hawaii's school kitchens and cafeterias is essential for meeting the statutory goal of the Farm to School program, increasing local food procurement, and ensuring that students have access to fresh, nutritious meals. Accordingly, the appropriation will support the Department to expand regional kitchens on each island.

Your Committee has amended this measure by adding language to clarify that the purpose of the measure is to support the establishment of regional kitchens to support school meal preparation and service.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 894, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 894, S.D. 3.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair