Bill Text: HI SB1292 | 2015 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Department of Agriculture; Hawaii Voluntary Farm to School Program; Department of Education; Complex Area Superintendents

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-02-03 - Re-Referred to GVO/AGL/EDU, WAM. [SB1292 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2015-SB1292-Introduced.html

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THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1292
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to procurement.

 

 

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

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that farm to school programs improve the connection that communities have with fresh, nutritious food and local farmers by changing food purchasing and education practices at schools and preschools.  Across the country, an increasing number of states have established farm to school programs.  Schools in these states are procuring locally grown or locally raised agricultural products from local farmers and providing school children with educational activities that emphasize food, farming, and nutrition.  However, there are many challenges and successes that come with the implementation of a farm to school program and a statewide, one-size-fits-all approach may delay the implementation process.  Allowing a single department of education complex area to implement a farm to school program, rather than requiring statewide implementation, may allow a complex area that has the resources to implement a farm to school program without delay and in partnership with the complex area's farmers.  In addition, to assist the implementation of a farm to school program, Washington State's Department of Agriculture has created a tool kit to help start a farm to school program.  In addition, other states, including Ohio and Virginia, began farm to school programs with only one or two products.

     A farm to school program supports a local economy and enriches school children's bodies and minds by bringing locally grown or raised foods into school cafeterias; offering hands-on learning activities including school gardening, farm visits, and culinary classes; and integrating food-related education into the classroom curriculum.

     The legislature further finds that the United States Department of Agriculture supports farm to school efforts through the national Farm to School Program that includes research, training, technical assistance, and grants.  In 2014, the United States Department of Agriculture announced more than $5,000,000 in grants for eighty-two projects that support the Farm to School Program in forty-two states and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  According to the United States Department of Agriculture's recent Farm to School Census, school districts participating in farm to school programs purchased and served over $385,000,000 in local food during the 2011-2012 school year; and more than half of the participating schools plan to increase local food purchases.

     The purpose of this Act is to establish the Hawaii voluntary farm to school program to improve school children's access to nutritious foods in public educational institutions by providing department of education complex areas with the opportunity and option to purchase locally grown food for schools from food safety audit certified farms in the State; provided that the respective complex area superintendent authorizes participation in the Hawaii voluntary farm to school program.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 141, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§141-    Hawaii voluntary farm to school program; department of education complex areas.  (a)  There is established within the department of agriculture the Hawaii voluntary farm to school program.  The purpose of the voluntary farm to school program shall be to provide department of education complex areas with the opportunity and option to improve school children's access to nutritious foods in public educational institutions by increasing the purchase of foods grown or raised on food safety audit certified farms in Hawaii by department of education schools.

     (b)  A department of education complex area may participate in the Hawaii voluntary farm to school program; provided that the complex area superintendent authorizes the department of education complex area's participation in the Hawaii voluntary farm to school program pursuant to section 302A-604.

     (c)  A farmer providing products to a department of education complex area's farm to school program shall provide evidence that the farmer has an adequate supply of products to supply the complex area's farm to school program for one year.

     (d)  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to administer and implement this section."

     SECTION 3.  Section 302A-604, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§302A-604  Complex area superintendents.  The superintendent of education, with the approval of the board, shall appoint complex area superintendents for schools.  The complex area superintendents shall supervise the delivery of administrative and instructional support services within their respective complex areas, including:

     (1)  Personnel, fiscal, and facilities support;

     (2)  Monitoring of compliance with applicable state and federal laws;

     (3)  Curriculum development, student assessment, and staff development services;[and]

     (4)  Special education programs and special schools within the complex area[.]; and

     (5)  Participation by the complex area in the Hawaii voluntary farm to school program pursuant to section 141-  ."

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2015.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Department of Agriculture; Hawaii Voluntary Farm to School Program; Department of Education; Complex Area Superintendents

 

Description:

Establishes the Hawaii voluntary farm to school program; allows a department of education complex area to participate in the Hawaii voluntary farm to school program if authorized by the complex area superintendent; and provides complex area superintendents with the authority to make the decision whether to have their respective department of education complex area participate in the Hawaii voluntary farm to school program.

 

 

 

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