Bill > SB894

This bill appropriates funds to the Hawaii Department of Education to expand regional kitchen facilities across multiple islands, with the ultimate goal of supporting the state's local farm-to-school meal program that requires 30% of school meals to use locally sourced products. For fiscal year 2025-2026, the bill allocates funding for design and construction of kitchen expansions, including additional funds for the existing Whitmore regional kitchen serving Honolulu areas, and provides for feasibility analyses on new kitchen sites across Oahu, Hawaii Island, Maui, and Kauai. Each proposed site has specific meal production targets, ranging from 12,000 to 40,000 meals per day. In fiscal year 2026-2027, the bill provides additional funding for further planning, design, land acquisition, and assessment of receiving school kitchens in the same districts. The appropriated funds will be used to support infrastructure improvements that can help the Department of Education meet its local food sourcing requirements and potentially improve meal production efficiency across the Hawaiian Islands. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 3000 (which appears to be a typographical error and likely meant to be 2025).

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Education

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=894&year=2026