STAND. COM. REP. NO. 237

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     S.B. No. 594

        S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 594 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for a school meal subsidy program within the Department of Education to provide school lunch subsidies to children whose families do not otherwise qualify under the federal free and reduced price lunch program.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and two individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that the National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program for schools that provides daily low-cost or free meals to children from households making a certain income.  However, the Department of Education estimates that up to fifteen thousand children each year from gap groups do not qualify for the National School Lunch Program.  Providing equal access to food services for students ensures that all public school students are provided quality education and school meals.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Specifying that the school meal subsidy program shall target children whose families are not otherwise eligible for free lunch under the free and reduced price lunch program and who meet program income eligibility requirements; and

 

     (2)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 594, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 594, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

 

 

 

________________________________

MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair