STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1774-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.R. No. 86

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.R. No. 86 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND BIOSECURITY TO JOINTLY DEVELOP A FARMER-TO-INSTITUTION COORDINATION PLAN THAT IS ALIGNED WITH THE AINA KITCHEN NETWORK ROLLOUT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the Department of Education and Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to jointly develop a farmer-to-institution coordination plan that is aligned with the AINA Kitchen Network rollout.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice; Hawaii Agricultural Foundation; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that Act 175, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, requires the Department of Education to source thirty percent of school meal ingredients from local producers by 2030. Your Committee further finds that, according to the Auditor's Report No. 26-08, systemic failures were found in the Department of Education's approach to local food procurement, including the absence of centralized tracking software, inconsistent identification of locally sourced products, and discrepancies between internal and reported food cost figures. Your Committee believes that a Farmer-to-Institution Coordination Plan, as requested by this measure, is essential in ensuring that the Department of Education fulfills the requirements of Act 175, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, to provide locally sourced school meals to students.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding additional findings regarding the State's Nourishing Hawaiʻi Future Initiative; and

(2) Requesting the Department of Education and Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to ensure that the Farmer-to-Institution Coordination Plan be complementary to the Nourishing Hawaiʻi's Future Initiative.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 86, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 86, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair