HB1500 • 2026

RELATING TO SCHOOL MEALS.

Children Education

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: LA CHICA, CHUN, HUSSEY, LEE, M., MATAYOSHI, MIYAKE, MORIKAWA, OLDS, TEMPLO, WOODSON
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide information on the requirement of a special fund for cafeteria operations, which was removed.

School Meals Pricing

This bill removes the Department of Education's authority to set prices for school meals, except for providing lower rates or free meals based on economic need.

What This Bill Does

Removes the Department of Education's power to decide how much school meals cost.
Allows the Department to still offer reduced meal prices or free meals for students who need financial help.

Who It Names or Affects

Students and families who buy school meals
School cafeterias and the Department of Education

Terms To Know

Department of Education: The government agency that oversees public schools, including cafeteria services.

Limits and Unknowns

It's not clear how the change will affect meal prices or student access to free meals.
The bill does not specify when it will take effect after approval.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment changes how school meal prices are set, allowing the Department of Education to provide lower rates or free meals based on economic need but not setting specific prices.

Removes the authority for the Department of Education to set specific prices for school meals.
Allows the Department to adjust meal prices annually based on costs and round them to the nearest five cents.
Requires the Department to provide lower rates or free meals to children who need it economically.

The amendment does not specify how economic need will be determined for providing lower rates or free meals.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-13 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kitagawa, Ward excused (3).
2025-02-13 H
Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 569) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2025-02-11 H
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.
2025-02-07 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Tuesday, 02-11-25 2:01PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-27 H
Referred to EDN, FIN, referral sheet 4
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO SCHOOL MEALS.
Department of Education; School Meals; Prices
Repeals the authority of the Department of Education to set the price for school meals, except to provide a lower rate or free meals through rules. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1500

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1500

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to school meals
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section
302A-405, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

����
"
�302A-405
�
School cafeterias;
funds; expenditures.
�
(a)
�

[
The price for school meals shall be set by the department to ensure
that moneys received from the sale of the meals shall be not less than one-half
of the cost of preparing the meals.
�
The
prices for school meals may be adjusted annually based on the previous year's
costs rounded to the nearest five cents; provided that the department by rule
shall provide a lower rate or free meals to children based on their economic
need.

����
(b)
]
�
All moneys received by or for the public
school cafeterias from the sale of meals, the sale of services, the federal
government, or any other source, shall be deposited in one special school lunch
fund.
�
Except as otherwise provided by
the legislature, all expenditures for the operation of public school cafeterias
shall be made from this fund.

����
[
(c)
]
(b)
�
It is the intent of this section not to
jeopardize the receipt of any federal aid and to the extent, and only to the
extent necessary to effectuate this intent, the governor may modify the strict
provisions of this section, but shall promptly report any such modification
with the governor's reasons therefor to the next succeeding session of the
legislature for review."

����
SECTION
2.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Department
of Education; School Meals; Prices

Description:

Repeals
the authority of the Department of Education to set the price for school meals.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.