S.C.R. NO. 62 Summary

• Requests the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture increase federal reimbursement rates for Hawaii's school breakfast, lunch, and afterschool snack programs to 15 percent above Alaska's reimbursement rates.

• Notes that food costs in Hawaii are 70 percent higher than in Alaska, with Hawaii at $1,066.20 monthly compared to Alaska at $741.90 for a family of four as of February 2014.

• Identifies current reimbursement rate disparities, including free breakfast at $2.25 in Hawaii versus $3.10 in Alaska and free lunch at $3.74 in Hawaii versus $5.15 in Alaska.

• Argues that increased federal reimbursement would allow expansion of Child Nutrition Programs to serve more Hawaii schoolchildren and enable programs like Farm to School that purchase foods locally.

• Directs transmission of the resolution to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Hawaii's congressional delegation, Governor, Superintendent of Education, and Board of Education Chairperson.