Sen. Mike Gabbard

Authorizes the Department of Education to establish a recognition program to incentivize schools to submit to the Department a plan for the school to reach 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. Requires public high schools under the Department of Education to provide plantbased meals as an option under the school meals program.

Establishes the DLNRTip application as the official electronic platform for persons to report natural resource violations to the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement. Creates statutory requirements regarding the design and maintenance of the DLNRTip application. Require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to ensure that all information submitted through the DLNRTip application is continuously monitored to facilitate timely enforcement responses. Requires annual reports. Authorizes 1.0 full-time equivalent position. Appropriates moneys.

Requires waste combustion facility owners to implement continuous monitoring and sampling technologies for the purposes of collecting data regarding emissions. Establishes a publicly available website hosted by the Department of Health that will track and display data collected on emissions. Requires the DOH to adjust permit limits for air contaminants based on emissions data collected. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Agriculture for the continued administration of the Hawaii Healthy Food Incentive Program and to provide matching funds to beneficiaries who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Appropriates funds for the agricultural loan program to offer loans with an interest rate cap of four per cent; a line of credit program with a prevailing interest rate; and loans with an interest rate cap of three per cent for new farmers that commit to growing import replacement crops and farm-to-state programs.

Establishes a procedure for the Board of Land and Natural Resources to lease fast lands and submerged lands that were destroyed by an event triggering a Presidential Disaster Declaration.

Implements a 4-phase plan for the Department of Health to address contamination of Ulehawa Stream. Requires the University of Hawaii to provide assistance. Appropriates moneys.

Establishes the Agricultural Development and Food Security Special Fund. Requires a portion of the Environmental Response, Energy, and Food Security Tax to be deposited into the special fund. Appropriates funds for the Department of Agriculture in an amount equal to three per cent of the State Budget.

Effective 7/1/2027, establishes the Environmental Stewardship Fee Program within the Department of Land and Natural Resources, through which the Department will collect a fee from visitors for a license to visit a state park, forest, hiking trail, or other state natural area. Establishes the Environmental Stewardship Fee Special Fund effective 7/1/2025. Allocates a certain amount of transient accommodations tax revenues to the special fund. Requires report to the Legislature on strategic plan and timetable for objectives and implementation of the environmental stewardship fee program. Appropriates funds for the environmental stewardship fee strategic plan and positions for the Environmental Stewardship Fee Program.

Prohibits the construction, modification, or expansion of any waste or disposal facility on land that is near or above a significant aquifer as determined by the Department of Health. Reduces the required buffer zone around waste or disposal facilities.