STAND. COM. REP. NO. 875

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 250

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 250, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FARM TO SCHOOL PROCUREMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Education to adopt rules for the procurement of goods and services related to the administration of food programs at public schools that incorporate a geographic preference for unprocessed locally grown and locally raised agricultural products.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Hawai‘i Primary Care Association; Hawai‘i Farmers Union United; Ulupono Initiative; Hawai‘i Public Health Institute; Hawai‘i Youth Food Council; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawai‘i SEED; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; 350Hawaii; Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action; Mālama Kaua‘i; North Shore Economic Vitality Partnership; Kohana Family Farms; and eleven individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education and Chamber of Sustainable Commerce.

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 H.B. No. 250, 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