STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3263

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2083

H.D. 3

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred H.B. No. 2083, H.D. 3, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOL MEALS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Department of Education (Department) to establish:

(1) A recognition program to incentivize schools to submit to the Department a plan for the school to reach the local farm to school meal goal of thirty percent of food served in the school to consist of locally sourced products by 2030; and

(2) A plant-based meal pilot program at Mililani High School no later than the 2025-2026 school year.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, County of Kauaʻi Council Services Division, Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute, Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United, Hawaiʻi Reef and Ocean Coalition, Climate Protectors Hawaiʻi, Hawaii Food+ Policy, Hawaii Chapter of 350.org, Homestead Agriculture Youth Council Molokai, Hawaiʻi Youth Food Council, Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action, Down to Earth, Center for Getting Things Started, and fifty-eight individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education and one individual.

Your Committee finds that establishing a recognition program that incentivizes schools to plan for and meet the farm to school meals target goal as established by Act 175, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, will ensure that the thirty percent of food served in public schools will consist of locally sourced products by 2030. Your Committee further finds that offering locally-sourced, plant-based meals in public schools not only encourages students to engage in healthy nutrition, but also cultivates a culture of environmental awareness. This measure supports an increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables by Hawaii's students, and therefore, the production of these fresh local agricultural products and local value-added processed, agricultural, or food products by local farmers and food businesses.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring, rather than authorizing, the Department of Education to establish a recognition program to incentivize schools to submit to the Department a plan for the school to reach the Local Farm to School Meal goal by 2030;

(2) Inserting language to allow the Department to receive private funding for the recognition program;

(3) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2083, H.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2083, H.D. 3, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair