STAND. COM. REP. NO. 816

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1179

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1179, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to promote the establishment of a farm to school program in Hawaii's public schools.

 

     Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Establishes a state farm to school policy in state law;

 

     (2)  Directs the University of Hawaii to convene a working group to conduct a feasibility study on the potential of establishing a farm to school program in Hawaii's public schools; and

 

     (3)  Appropriates funds to conduct the feasibility study.

 

     Your Committee received six written comments on this measure.  The written comments may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee finds that the farm to school program is a well established national program and that the Kokua Hawaii Foundation has piloted efforts to develop this program in the State.  Your Committee further finds that the intent of this measure is to give students the choice to eat healthier, to expand the market for local produce, and to relieve the State's dependence on imported foods.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Establishing a farm to school program and setting out its functions in the Department of Education;

 

     (2)  Removing the provisions calling for the creation of a working group to conduct the feasibility study on establishing a farm to school program in state public schools;

 

     (3)  Removing the appropriation of funds to conduct the feasibility study;

 

     (4)  Changing the effective date to January 1, 2090, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

 

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1179, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1179, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair