STAND. COM. REP. NO. 24

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 Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 250 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 food products.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Hawai‘i Primary Care Association; Ka Ohana O Na Pua; North Shore Economic Vitality Partnership; Kaua‘i Climate Action Coalition; Hawaii Environmental Change Agents Carbon Sequestration Task Force; Ulupono Initiative; Climate Future Forum; Grow Some Good; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Pacific American Foundation; Hawai‘i Food+ Policy; Hawaii Farm to School Hui; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Chamber of Sustainable Commerce; Hawai‘i Public Health Institute; Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action; Mala‘ai; 350Hawaii.org; Our Revolution Hawaii; Adaptations Inc.; Hawai‘i Farmers Union United; Hawai‘i Seed; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in support of the intent of this measure from the Department of Education. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that building farm to school connections can improve student access to healthy, local foods; provide numerous public health benefits; and contribute to the local agricultural industry. Your Committee further finds that procuring local food provides a long-term revenue stream for farmers and other food producers, promotes market diversification, and increases income and economic growth opportunities for individual farmers. Your Committee believes the proposed geographic preference provided by this measure will facilitate the increase of more locally grown and locally raised agricultural products and allow school complexes to regionalize their menus.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 3000.

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. 250, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 250, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Labor & Government Operations.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair