STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1439

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 Education, 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 appropriate funds to the Department of Education for statewide regional kitchen expansion to fulfill the Department's statutory mandate to provide farm to school meals that consist of at least thirty percent locally sourced products.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; Department of Agriculture; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Agribusiness Development Corporation; University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy; and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that school food programs serve an essential function in providing meals to students and improving the health of Hawaii's students through nutritious and fresh, locally grown foods. Your Committee further finds that schools are experiencing difficulties in providing meals to students, including outdated equipment and limited space to handle fresh food products effectively. This measure appropriates funds to the Department of Education for statewide regional kitchen expansion which will streamline food processing and utilize labor more effectively, thereby ensuring that students will receive quality school meals made with fresh and local ingredients.

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 S.B. No. 894, S.D. 3, 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 Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair