HONOLULU — The Hawaii State Legislature’s bicameral Keiki Caucus introduces a legislative package Friday targeting health initiatives and financial support for youth and their families.

“The bills are high-impact initiatives that help set the stage for health and success as our keiki grow,” said Keiki Caucus convener and Rep. Lisa Marten.

The five-bill package contains legislation introduced by Marten, House speaker Scott Saiki, House majority leader Nadine Nakamura and fellow Reps. Amy Perruso and Scot Matayoshi, as well as Sens. Joy San Buenaventura, Dru Mamo Kanuha, Karl Rhoads and Maile Shimabukuro.

Among the measures:

• House Bill 1775 would require the state Department of Education to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students enrolled in department schools starting in 2024-2025.
• HB 1776 would increase the applicable percentage of employment-related expenses that can be claimed for the household and dependent care services tax credit for five years.
• HB 1777 would allow dental hygienists under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist to perform preventive dental sealant screenings and apply dental sealants on certain individuals in a school-based oral-health program.
• HB 1778 would prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products and mislabeled e-liquid products that contain nicotine and repeal language making the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products and electronic smoking devices a statewide concern and preempting county ordinances and regulations.
• HB 1779 would create a three-year summer tuition pilot program to provide funding to University of Hawaii community colleges to offset the costs aligning the resident tuition rates for the summer semester with the resident tuition rates for the spring and fall semesters.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.