RELATING TO SCHOOL MEALS.

Budget Children Education

Active

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

Sponsor: LA CHICA, AMATO, BELATTI, CHUN, EVSLIN, GARRETT, GRANDINETTI, ICHIYAMA, ILAGAN, IWAMOTO, KAHALOA, KAPELA, KILA, KITAGAWA, KUSCH, LEE, M., MARTEN, MATAYOSHI, MATSUMOTO, MORIKAWA, OLDS, PERRUSO, POEPOE, REYES ODA, SHIMIZU, SOUZA, TAKAYAMA, TAM, TARNAS
Last action: 2026-02-17
Official status: 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, Lee, M., Poepoe excused (3).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text does not specify an amount of funding, only that it will be appropriated out of general revenues.

School Meals for Low-Income Students

This bill requires public charter schools to provide free meals to students whose families earn up to three times the federal poverty level, starting in the 2026-2027 school year.

What This Bill Does

Requires public charter schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to offer free meals to students from low-income families.
Defines 'low-income' as a family income no more than three hundred percent of the federal poverty level.
Ensures that no student is denied a meal because they cannot pay for it.

Who It Names or Affects

Students in public charter schools who qualify based on family income.
Public charter schools participating in the National School Lunch Program.

Terms To Know

National School Lunch Program: A federal program that provides nutrition assistance to low-income children through schools.
Federal poverty level: The income threshold set by the U.S. government for determining eligibility for certain public benefits and programs.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much funding will be provided.
It is unclear if this change will affect federal aid received by schools.
The exact rules for collecting meal funds are yet to be determined by the State Public Charter School Commission.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment requires public charter schools in Hawaii to provide free meals to students whose family income is no more than three hundred percent of the federal poverty level, starting from the 2026-2027 school year.

Public charter schools must offer free meals to all enrolled students if their families earn up to 300% of the federal poverty level, regardless of eligibility for other federal meal programs.
No student can be denied a meal because they cannot pay for it.
The state will provide funding through an appropriation from general revenues.

The effective date listed as July 1, 3000 appears to be incorrect and likely needs correction in the final bill text.

Bill History

2026-02-17 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, Lee, M., Poepoe excused (3).
2026-02-17 H
Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 314-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-02-10 H
The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-06 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Tuesday, 02-10-26 2:15PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-26 H
Referred to EDN, FIN, referral sheet 1
2026-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-15 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO SCHOOL MEALS.
Keiki Caucus; State Public Charter School Commission; Public Charter Schools; Meal Subsidies; Appropriation ($)
Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, requires public charter schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to provide free meals to students whose family income is no more than three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1561

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1561

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

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.
�
Chapter 302D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

����
"
�302D-
�
School meals.
�

(a)
�
Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, free
school meals shall be provided to every student enrolled in a public charter
school that is participating in the National School Lunch Program whose family
income is no more than three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level,
regardless of a student's
eligibility for participation in the federal school meals program
.

����
(b)
�

No student shall be denied a meal solely for failure to pay for the meal.

����
(c)
�
The commission may adopt rules or policies
governing the collection of funds for student meal accounts with a negative
fund balance; provided that no rule or policy shall prohibit feeding a student
or otherwise conflict with subsection (b).

����
(d)
�

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
therefore to the next succeeding session of the legislature for review.

����
(e)
�

As used in this section, "school meals" means breakfast and
lunch prepared and served by a school cafeteria or a food vendor that is
located outside of school grounds, as designated by a public charter school.
"

����
SECTION
2.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of
$ or so much
thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for meal subsidies for
students at public charter schools whose family income is no more than three
hundred per cent of the federal poverty level.

����
The sum
appropriated shall be expended by the state public charter school commission
for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION
3.
�
New statutory material is
underscored.

����
SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Keiki
Caucus; State Public Charter School Commission; Public Charter Schools; Meal
Subsidies; Appropriation

Description:

Beginning
with the 2026-2027 school year, requires public charter schools participating
in the National School Lunch Program to provide free meals to students whose
family income is no more than three hundred per cent of the federal poverty
level.
�
Appropriates funds.

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