SB 789 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO SCHOOL CAFETERIA MEAL COSTS.

Summary

Reduces the amount the Department of Education is authorized to charge for school meals to all students enrolled in department schools to no more than one-quarter of the cost of preparing the meals. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Education

Sub-Topics: Student Health School Funding

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Mar 13, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB789_SD1 → SB789_SD2 · 2 edits

MINOR

This bill version (SD2) adds a new repeal clause that would end the school meal cost requirement on January 1, 2031, if the Department of Education fails to meet local farm-to-school meal goals. The substantive policy requirements remain the same as the previous version (SD1), but now include a conditional sunset provision tied to performance metrics.

Scope change

The bill's scope is now conditional - the meal pricing requirement will automatically expire if the Department of Education fails to meet specific farm-to-school meal goals by the deadline.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new Section 3 that establishes a conditional repeal mechanism - the Act will be repealed on January 1, 2031 if the Department of Education fails to meet the local farm-to-school meal goal set in section 302A-405.6.

TIMELINE

The effective date and repeal conditions now include a performance-based sunset provision rather than a fixed permanent timeline.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 4, 2025

How they voted

25–0

Passed

Total votes 25

Mar 4, 2025

D Democratic22

22 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican3

3 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 13, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1193) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Mar 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Sayama, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Muraoka.

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDN, FIN, referral sheet 19

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 197) in amended form (SD 2).

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Feb 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) DeCoite.

upper

Feb 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-18-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 342) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kidani, Kim, Hashimoto, Kanuha, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Jan 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 02-05-25 3:05PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDU, WAM.

upper

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

5 primary · 2 co-sponsors