STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1306

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

 

RE:   S.B. No. 423

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 423, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STUDENT MEALS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to prohibit public schools from denying a student a meal solely for failure to pay.  This prohibition applies for a specified number of days while the student's application for free or reduced lunch is being processed or when a student's meal fund account reaches a zero or negative balance.  This measure also requires the Department of Education to submit a report to the Legislature on the issue of students' being denied a meal solely for failure to pay.

 

     The Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, Hawaii Children's Action Network, and three concerned individuals supported this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:


 

     (1)  Adjusting from 30 days to 21 days the length of time during the first semester of a school year that a student cannot be denied a meal solely for failure to pay while the student's application for free or reduced lunch is being processed;

 

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2051, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     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. 423, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 423, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair