HI SB86

Establishes a two-year pilot program beginning with the 2025-2026 school year requiring the Department of Education to provide free school lunches to all students enrolled at department schools.

Requires the department to adopt administrative rules under Hawaii Revised Statutes chapter 91 to govern the free school lunch pilot program.

Mandates the department submit an interim report to the legislature no later than 20 days before the 2026 legislative session on implementation progress, preliminary results, and findings, and a final report before the 2027 session with a recommendation on whether to make the program permanent.

Appropriates general revenues for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to cover total plate costs for the school food services branch after accounting for federal funding (specific amount to be determined).

Program terminates on June 30, 2027, with existing statutes §302A-404 and §302A-405 reverting to their pre-enactment form.