STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1382-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.B. No. 2615

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 S.B. No. 2615 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOL CAFETERIA MEAL COSTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Education to charge no less than one-quarter of the cost of preparing a school meal for each school meal.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Governor; Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute; Healthy Eating, Active Living Coalition; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Education Caucus; Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that access to nutritious meals is essential for students' academic achievement and overall health. However, increasing school meal costs impose a significant burden on families, resulting in reduced student participation in school meal programs. This measure aims to decrease the required meal cost offset collection and enhance affordability of school meals within Department of Education schools.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment 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 S.B. No. 2615, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2615, 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