STAND. COM. REP. NO. 961-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2300

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 Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2300, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROCUREMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to effectuate the intent of Act 134, Session Laws of Hawaii 2025 (Act 134), which temporarily exempts the Department of Education's purchases of local edible produce and packaged food products of less than $250,000 from the electronic procurement system and instead requires at least three written quotes, by additionally exempting these procurements from the small purchase procurement method and prohibiting the artificial division and parceling of these procurements, for the same duration as Act 134.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; Local Food Coalition; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the State Procurement Office.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2300, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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CHRIS TODD, Chair