STAND. COM. REP. NO. 564-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2083

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2083, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize 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 of thirty percent of food served in the school to consist of locally sourced products by 2030; and

(2) Require public high schools under the Department of Education to provide plant-based meals as an option under the school meals program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; one member of the Kauaʻi County Council; Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; 350Hawaii.org; Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action; Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute; Climate Future Forum; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education; Department of Agriculture; and Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.

Your Committee finds that Act 175, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, established a target goal of thirty percent of food served in public schools to consist of locally sourced products to ensure the health of Hawaii's students. Your Committee further finds that establishing a recognition program that incentivizes schools to plan for and meet the farm to school meals goal will ensure that the goal will be met by 2030. Your Committee also finds that providing plant-based meals to students can promote not only a healthy lifestyle for Hawaii's youth but can encourage students to make environmentally conscious personal decisions.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the requirement for all department high schools to provide a plant-based meal as an option under the school meals program;

(2) Requiring the Department of Education to establish a plant-based meal pilot program at Mililani High School to provide plant-based options for school meals at least once a week, to begin no later than the 2025-2026 school year and to cease on June 30, 2026;

(3) Requiring the Department of Education to submit an interim report to the Legislature prior to the Regular Session of 2026 and a final report to the Legislature prior to the Regular Session of 2027 on the plant-based meal pilot program; and

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

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 H.B. No. 2083, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2083, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair