STAND. COM. REP. NO. 316-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2296

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. 2296 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to reduce the minimum revenue requirement for the Department of Education from the sale of school meals from no less than one-half to no less than one-quarter of the cost of preparing the meals.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Governor; Department of Education; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice; Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Education Caucus; Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy; and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that access to nutritious meals is necessary for students' academic success and overall well-being. However, the rising cost of school meals places an undue burden on families, which decreases student participation in school meal programs. This measure will reduce the required meal cost offset collection and increase affordability for school meals in Department of Education schools.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that the price for school meals shall be set by the Department of Education to ensure that monies received from the sale of the meals shall be no more than one-quarter of the cost of preparing meals;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000; and

(3) 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. 2296, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2296, 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