HB 1779 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO SCHOOL MEALS.

Summary

Expands free school meal coverage, beginning with the 2029-2030 school year, to all public school students, including public charter school students, regardless of whether the student participates in a federal school meals program. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 21, 2026 Last action Mar 10, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB1779 → HB1779_HD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This version of the bill expands free school meal coverage to include public charter school students, whereas the previous version only applied to Department of Education students. The bill also clarifies that no student can be denied a meal for non-payment and sets a future effective date of July 1, 3000, instead of immediate effect.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly include public charter school students in addition to traditional public school students.

SCOPE

Added explicit coverage for public charter school students to the free school meal program.

REQUIREMENT

Added a provision stating that no student shall be denied a meal solely for failure to pay.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from immediate approval to July 1, 3000.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill title and description to reflect the inclusion of charter schools and the new effective date.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to EDU, WAM.

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 154).

upper

Mar 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Alcos voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu voting no (2) and Representative(s) Perruso, Sayama excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Mar 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Alcos; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Feb 17, 2026

Committee

Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 319-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 10, 2026

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, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Committee

Referred to EDN, FIN, referral sheet 1

lower

Jan 22, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

24 primary · 0 co-sponsors