HB 328 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO SCHOOL MEALS.

Summary

Requires the Department of Education to authorize and facilitate complex areas or individual public schools to form their own farm to school meal programs through partnerships to meet the local farm to school meal goal of thirty per cent of food served in the school to consist of locally sourced products by 2030. Allows the Department of Education to establish a plant-based meal program no later than the 2026-2027 school year. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Last action Feb 11, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB328 → HB328_HD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

HB 328 was amended to change 'department schools' to 'public schools' to clarify that all public schools, not just those within specific departments, can participate in farm-to-school programs. The bill also changed the effective date from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 3000, which appears to be an error that will likely need correction. Additionally, the definition of 'plant-based meal' was expanded to include herbs and spices, and the interim report deadline was adjusted from 2027 to 2028.

Scope change

The bill now applies to all public schools rather than just department schools, broadening the scope of schools eligible to participate in farm-to-school programs.

SCOPE

Changed 'department schools' to 'public schools' in multiple sections to expand eligibility for farm-to-school programs to all public schools.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 3000, which appears to be a clerical error requiring correction.

REQUIREMENT

Adjusted the interim report deadline for the plant-based meal program from 2027 to 2028.

DEFINITION

Expanded the definition of 'plant-based meal' to explicitly include herbs and spices.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 11, 2025

Committee

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2).

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Committee

Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 395), recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Kusch, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.

lower

Feb 3, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 45) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to AGR.

lower

Jan 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 11 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Sayama, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDN, AGR, FIN, referral sheet 1

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 16, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

16 primary · 0 co-sponsors