SR 140: requesting the department of education to create a plan that removes carcinogens from school meals.

SENATE RESOLUTION

requesting the department of education to create a plan that removes carcinogens from school meals.

     WHEREAS, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified processed meats as a Group 1 carcinogen because there is sufficient evidence that it causes cancer in humans; and

     WHEREAS, processed meats include any meat that has been modified through salting, curing, fermenting, smoking, or other processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation; and

     WHEREAS, processed meats include hot dogs, bacon, deli meats, ham, and pepperoni; and

     WHEREAS, processed meats often contain sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate as preservatives and color fixatives, and in the body, or during high-heat cooking, these compounds can form nitrosamines, which are known carcinogens; and

     WHEREAS, children are especially vulnerable to the long-term health impacts of poor diet, including increased risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and obesity; and

     WHEREAS, the Department of Education administers school meal programs that serve tens of thousands of breakfasts and lunches daily, some of which contain processed meats; and

     WHEREAS, providing students with healthier meals would support their academic performance, physical development, and long-term well-being; and

     WHEREAS, several school systems nationwide have already taken steps to reduce or eliminate processed meats from their menus, demonstrating that such a transition is feasible; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, that the Department of Education is requested to create a plan to transition school meals away from processed meats and toward fiber-rich proteins, completely eliminating processed meats by 2032 or at least offering a whole-foods, scratch made, or minimally processed plant-based alternative to processed meats; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the plan include:

     (1)  An inventory of existing school menu items containing processed meats;

     (2)  A proposed timeline for the reduction and eventual phase-out of processed meats, or the offering of a whole-foods, scratch made, or minimally processed plant-based alternative to processed meats;

     (3)  Nutritional standards and sourcing guidelines for replacement options; and

(4)  Estimated costs and funding opportunities to support the transition; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2027; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Chairperson of the Board of Education, Superintendent of Education, Director of Health, and Director of the School Food Services Branch of the Department of Education.

Report Title: 

DOE; School Meals; Carcinogens