Office of the Governor — News Release — Gov. Green Signs Bills to Advance Educational and Developmental Success for Keiki

STATE OF HAWAIʻI 
KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI 
 
JOSH GREEN, M.D. 
GOVERNOR
KE KIAʻĀINA 

 
GOVERNOR GREEN SIGNS FIVE BILLS TO ADVANCE EDUCATIONAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL SUCCESS FOR KEIKI

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 30, 2025

HONOLULU — Governor Josh Green, M.D., today signed five bills strengthening access to educational opportunities and supporting student success both in the classroom and beyond.

“This group of bills represents our state’s active commitment to finding real solutions and protecting the fundamental right every keiki has to quality education,” stated Governor Green. “Thanks to the critical work of educators and students alike, as well as countless community advocates, our state is poised to reduce childhood food insecurity and increase access to academic and extracurricular educational opportunities.”

The newly enacted bills include the following:

SB 1300: EXPANDING ACCESS TO FREE SCHOOL MEALS

Beginning with the 2025-26 school year, Senate Bill 1300 expands access to free school meals for students who qualify for reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program. To further support ‘ohana classified as ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), SB 1300 will expand again in the 2026-27 school year, providing free school meals to any public school student whose family income is below 300% of the federal poverty level. The bill appropriates more than $3.3 million to the Department of Education over the two school years to cover the cost of free meals.

“Investing in our keiki is an investment in our future,” said Governor Green. “Food insecurity in our state is a serious issue, affecting one in three households. Signing Senate Bill 1300 will help ease the burden on our Hawai‘i ʻohana and improve the lives of keiki across the islands.”

Senate Bill 1300 aims to improve educational outcomes by ensuring every child in Hawai‘i has access to the consistent nutrition they need to succeed in school. In addition to providing free school meals to eligible students, SB 1300 prohibits an academic institution from denying a student a school meal due to an inability to pay.

“Senate Bill 1300 removes the financial barrier to accessing school meals, supporting students’ health and well-being, as well as their academic and developmental success said First Lady Jaime Kanani Green. “If students aren’t hungry, they can better focus on their studies, extracurricular activities and personal growth.”

“Students should come to class hungry for knowledge, not hungry for food,” Governor Green concluded.

Senate Vice President Michelle Kidani, Education Committee chair, was lead introducer of the bill. “Too many students face hunger in silence and it impacts their ability to learn. By expanding access to free school meals, this bill helps ensure all our keiki have the nourishment they need to succeed. I’m grateful to Governor Green for signing it into law and to all who worked to make it happen,” said Kidani (District 18, Mililani Town, Waipi‘o Gentry, Crestview, Waikele, portion of Waipahu, Village Park, Royal Kunia).

“Ensuring that our keiki have access to nutritious school meals supports their well-being and success both in and beyond the classroom. At the same time, we are easing the burden on Hawai‘i’s working families, and this is a win for our community,” said House Committee on Education Chair, Justin H. Woodson (District 9, Kahului, Pu‘unēnē, portion of Wailuku.

HB 862: ADDRESSING SCHOOL BUS SHORTAGES

Due to a nationwide bus driver shortage, a number of school bus routes were suspended during the 2024–2025 academic school year. To reverse these suspensions and ensure transportation is not a barrier to education, Governor Green issued an emergency proclamation in August 2024, authorizing, among other provisions, the use of alternative vehicles to transport students to and from school. House Bill 862 codifies into statute this authorization and requires Department of Education staff to accompany students between drop-off and pick-up locations to ensure student safety. Using alternative vehicles such as small buses, motorcoaches and vans to transport students, will help maintain existing bus routes, supporting students’ continued access to a quality education.

“Hawai‘i continues to face a school bus crisis, and we’ve heard from countless parents, families and educators about the urgent need to expand transportation options, while keeping safety front and center,” said House Committee on Education Vice Chair Trish La Chica (District 37, Portions of Mililani Town, Mililani Mauka, Koa Ridge, Waipi‘o Gentry). “This new law paves the way for our students to thrive, by expanding the department’s options to secure reliable transportation and ensuring that transportation barriers don’t stand in the way of our keiki and their opportunities to succeed.”

HB 133: FUNDING FOR INTERSCHOLASTIC SURFING PROGRAMS

Due to its deep cultural, social, and economic significance in Hawaiʻi, the Board of Education approved surfing for interscholastic competition in 2016. Since then, only one of the five local athletic leagues has sponsored a surfing program, leaving the majority of the state’s students without competitive surfing opportunities. House Bill 133 appropriates $685,870 for both fiscal year 2026 and fiscal year 2027 to support the establishment of interscholastic surfing programs. These programs will provide students the opportunity to gain competitive experience and further pursue the sport they love.

“Hawai‘i is the birthplace of surfing, and that’s something we should take great pride in. By recognizing surfing as an interscholastic sport, we are expanding access in Hawai‘i schools — allowing students to build ocean safety skills, connect with our cultural heritage and participate in a sport that has produced champions from our own shores,” said Representative Sean Quinlan, (District 47, Waialua, Hale‘iwa, Kawailoa Beach, Waimea, Sunset Beach, Waiale‘e, Kawela Bay, Kahuku, Lā‘ie, Hau‘ula, Punalu‘u, Kahana), introducer of the bill.

The complete list of bills signed includes the following. Click links to see full details of the bills enacted into law.

HB110 HD1 SD2 RELATING TO LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

HB1170 HD1 SD1 CD1 RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII RESIDENT TUITION FEE

Photos from today’s bill signing, courtesy Office of the Governor, are available here.
Video from the event can be viewed here.
The slide deck presented at today’s bill signing can be found here.

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Media Contacts:  
Erika Engle
Press Secretary
Office of the Governor, State of Hawai‘i
Office: 808-586-0120
Email: [email protected] 

Makana McClellan
Director of Communications
Office of the Governor, State of Hawaiʻi
Cell: 808-265-0083
Email: [email protected]