STAND. COM. REP. NO. 314-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1561

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1561 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require public charter schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to provide free meals to students whose family income is no more than three hundred percent of the federal poverty level, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Public Charter School Commission; Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; Parents and Children Together; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Education Caucus; Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice; Hawaiʻi Hunger Action Network; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!; Hawaii Youth Services Network; Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy; Green Party of Hawaiʻi; Early Childhood Action Strategy; Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, Act 139, Session Laws of Hawaii 2025, will expand free school meal coverage to students of Department of Education schools whose family income is no more than three hundred percent of the federal poverty level. Your Committee further finds that similarly expanding free school meal coverage to public charter school students will ensure all children of families with economic need are provided a school meal.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the 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. 1561, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1561, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair