HI SB988

Transfers the Hawaii Child Nutrition Programs agency from the Department of Education to the Department of Agriculture to ensure independence when conducting compliance audits and fiscal reviews of the school food services branch

Establishes the agency to serve as the state link between USDA Food and Nutrition Services and local program operators, with responsibility for disbursing federal funds and providing technical assistance

Creates a grant program to fund purchase of locally grown foods, equipment for food preparation, professional development on nutrition and farm-to-school connections, and technical assistance to increase federal nutrition program participation

Limits administrative costs for grantees to 2% of funding received, with project partners limited to 1% each for data collection, outreach, and training

Requires annual reports to the legislature on grant disbursements and appropriates unspecified general fund amounts for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, effective July 1, 2025