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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
43 |
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THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to education.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1.
The legislature finds that food insecurity impacts one in three
households in Hawaii, creating substantial health and educational barriers for
children statewide. Food-insecure
students are at higher risk of stress, depression, and chronic illness, all of
which undermine the ability to focus, engage in the classroom, and reach their
full academic potential.
The legislature further finds that the
current 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
would be needed to cover basic living costs in Hawaii. This restrictive income cap excludes countless
families struggling with food insecurity, leaving children without access to
essential nutrition solely due to arbitrary financial limitations.
The legislature also finds that universal
free school meal programs improve educational outcomes. 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. Offering free, nutritious meals to all
students would create a more equitable school environment, remove stigmas
associated with free meal programs, and foster the physical and mental health
of Hawaii's children.
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
establish a universal free school breakfast and lunch program.
SECTION 2. Section 302A-404, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§302A-404 School meals[.]; universal free
school breakfast and lunch. (a) School meals shall be made available under
the school meals program in every school where the students are required to eat
meals at school.
(b)
Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, free school breakfast shall be provided to
every student enrolled in a department school, regardless of a student's
eligibility for participation in the federal school breakfast program. Free school breakfast shall meet the meal
requirements for breakfasts established pursuant to title 7 Code of Federal
Regulations section 220.8.
(c)
Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, free school lunch shall be provided to every
student enrolled in a department school, regardless of a student's eligibility for participation in the
national school lunch program. Free school lunch shall meet the meal requirements for lunches
established pursuant to title 7 Code of Federal Regulations section 210.10.
[(b)] (d) No student requesting a meal shall be
denied a meal [solely for failure to pay:
(1) Within the
first twenty-one days of the first semester of a school year while the
student's application for free or reduced lunch is being processed; or
(2) Within seven
days after a student's meal fund account reaches a zero or negative balance.
(c) The department may adopt rules or policies
governing the collection of funds for student meal accounts with a negative
fund balance; provided that no rule or policy shall prohibit feeding a student
as required pursuant to subsection (b)].
SECTION 3. Section 302A-405, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
"(a) [The] Except as provided in section
302A-404(b) and (c), the price for school meals shall be set by the
department to ensure that moneys received from the sale of the meals shall be [not]
no less than one-half of the cost of preparing the meals. The prices for school meals may be adjusted
annually based on the previous year's costs rounded to the nearest five cents;
provided that the department by rule shall provide a lower rate or free meals
to children based on their economic need."
SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to the department of education's school food services branch for the total plate costs associated with providing universal free school breakfasts and lunches in department of education schools as required by this Act after federal funding has been accounted.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Universal Free School Breakfasts and Lunches; DOE; Appropriation
Description:
Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, requires the Department of Education to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students enrolled in department schools. Appropriates funds.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.