# Hawaii HB 1561: RELATING TO SCHOOL MEALS.

Hawaii HB 1561, RELATING TO SCHOOL MEALS., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by LA CHICA; status failed, last action 2026-02-17 (Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 314-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1561-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii HB 1561
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO SCHOOL MEALS.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-15
- Last action: 2026-02-17, Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 314-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
- Sponsor: LA CHICA
- Cosponsors: 29
- Subjects: Keiki Caucus, State Public Charter School Commission, Public Charter Schools, Meal Subsidies, Appropriation, EDN, FIN
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (57 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

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)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: LA CHICA
- Cosponsor: Terez Amato (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Della Au Belatti (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Cory M. Chun (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Luke A. Evslin (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Andrew Takuya Garrett (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Tina Nakada Grandinetti (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Linda Ichiyama (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Greggor Ilagan (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kim Coco Iwamoto (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kirstin Kahaloa (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jeanne Kapela (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Darius K. Kila (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Lisa Kitagawa (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Matthias Kusch (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Mike Lee (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: M.
- Cosponsor: Lisa Marten (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Scot Z. Matayoshi (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Lauren Matsumoto (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Dee Morikawa (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Ikaika Olds (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Amy A. Perruso (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Mahina Poepoe (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: REYES ODA
- Cosponsor: Garner M. Shimizu (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Kanani Souza (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Gregg Takayama (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Adrian K. Tam (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: David A. Tarnas (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-17 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN... | pass | 47 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | House | The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 10 | 0 |   |

## Actions (7)

- 2026-02-17: Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 314-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN. (House)
- 2026-02-17: 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). (House)
- 2026-02-10: 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. (House)
- 2026-02-06: Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Tuesday, 02-10-26 2:15PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-01-26: Referred to EDN, FIN, referral sheet 1 (House)
- 2026-01-21: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)
- 2026-01-15: Prefiled. (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1561_HD1_.pdf)
- HB1561_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1561_HD1_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1561_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1561_.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2964: RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1561_HD1_.pdf)
- [HB1561_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1561_HD1_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1561_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1561_.PDF)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2344-2026)
- [HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2023-2026)
- [HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2021-2026)
- [SB 2964: RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2964-2026)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1561-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).