HB 328 Hawaii House · 2026 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 passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

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What changed between versions

HB328 → HB328_HD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill was amended to change the target institutions from 'department schools' to 'public schools,' expanding the scope to include all public schools rather than just those under a specific department. The amendment also updated the effective date of the law from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 3000, and modified reporting requirements to focus on the department's overall progress rather than individual school metrics.

Scope change

The bill's applicability was expanded from 'department schools' to 'public schools,' allowing all public schools to participate in farm-to-school programs and accept donations.

SCOPE

Changed references from 'department schools' to 'public schools' throughout the bill, broadening the program's eligibility to include all public schools.

TIMELINE

Extended the effective date of the Act from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 3000, delaying when the law becomes active.

REQUIREMENT

Revised reporting requirements to ask the department to submit a final report on the program's overall progress instead of tracking individual school metrics.

FISCAL

Added a provision allowing public schools to accept donations or contributions to support farm-to-school meal programs, subject to superintendent approval.

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

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

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