Conference adopts temporary DOE procurement exemption to boost farm‑to‑school purchases under $250,000

A conference committee on April 25 adopted a conference draft (CD1) for House Bill 1293 HD2 SD2 that changes procurement rules for Department of Education local food purchases to support the state’s farm‑to‑school goals.

Under the CD1, the Department of Education would be exempt from the electronic procurement system requirement for purchases of local edible produce and packaged food products when the purchase amount is under $250,000. Instead of full electronic procurement, the DOE must obtain no fewer than three written quotes for such purchases. The exemption becomes effective July 1, 2025, and the provision is set to repeal on June 30, 2028.

A conferee explained that this change is intended to assist the Department of Education in meeting a farm‑to‑school goal of reaching 30 percent local procurement by 2030. The conference moved to a vote on CD1 and recorded ‘Aye’ votes from both House and Senate conferees; the transcript lists roll‑call ayes for the house and matching ayes on the senate side during the senate roll call.

The CD1 text as read on the record specifically identifies the $250,000 threshold, the three‑quote requirement, the effective date (07/01/2025) and the repeal date (06/30/2028). The transcript does not record further detail on implementation mechanics or departmental guidance; those operational details would be determined by the Department of Education and procurement offices if the conference draft becomes law.