# Hawaii HB 1779: RELATING TO SCHOOL MEALS.

Hawaii HB 1779, RELATING TO SCHOOL MEALS., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by LA CHICA; status failed, last action 2026-03-10 (Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 154).); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1779-2026
- 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 1779
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO SCHOOL MEALS.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-21
- Last action: 2026-03-10, Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 154).
- Sponsor: LA CHICA
- Cosponsors: 23
- Subjects: DOE Schools, Public Charter Schools, School Meals, Free, EDU, WAM
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 4 (118 yes, 3 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Expands free school meal coverage, beginning with the 2029-2030 school year, to all public school students, including public charter school students, regardless of whether the student participates in a federal school meals program. 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: Luke A. Evslin (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Andrew Takuya Garrett (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Tina Nakada Grandinetti (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Greggor Ilagan (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kim Coco Iwamoto (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jeanne Kapela (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY
- Cosponsor: Darius K. Kila (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Nicole E. Lowen (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Lisa Marten (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Scot Z. Matayoshi (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Tyson K. Miyake (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Dee Morikawa (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Ikaika Olds (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Amy A. Perruso (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Mahina Poepoe (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Sean Quinlan (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: REYES ODA
- Cosponsor: Kanani Souza (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Gregg Takayama (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Justin H. Woodson (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-06 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 46 | 2 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | House | The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 16 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-17 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN... | pass | 46 | 1 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | House | The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 10 | 0 |   |

## Actions (14)

- 2026-03-10: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 154). (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Referred to EDU, WAM. (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 953-26), recommending passage on Third Reading. (House)
- 2026-03-06: Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Alcos voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu voting no (2) and Representative(s) Perruso, Sayama excused (2). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2026-03-04: The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Alcos; Noes: none; and Excused: none. (House)
- 2026-03-02: Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Wednesday, 03-04-26 10:00AM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-02-17: Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 319-26) 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 Representative(s) Garcia voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Shimizu voting no (1) 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)
- 2026-01-22: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)
- 2026-01-21: Pending introduction. (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1779_HD1_.pdf)
- HB1779_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1779_HD1_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1779_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1779_.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/HB1779_HD1_.pdf)
- [HB1779_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1779_HD1_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1779_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1779_.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)
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- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1779-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).