STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2855

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2169

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2169, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD ASSISTANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate moneys to fund the operating expenses of the four Hawaii food banks contracted by the Office of Community Services to administer The Emergency Food Assistance Program in each of the State's counties.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the City and County of Honolulu Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency; Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center; Hawaii Medical Service Association; Parents And Children Together; United Public Workers, AFSCME Local 646; Hawaii Primary Care Association; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Hawaii Hunger Action Network; Hawaii Foodbank; AlohaCare; Hawaii Farm Bureau; Ulupono Initiative; Kaiser Permanente; and two individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that one out of every six state residents, including one out of every four children, faces food insecurity. Your Committee recognizes that Hawaii's food banks provide food to the needy through donations and federal programs. However, as funding from these sources has declined, the State must ensure that there are sufficient funds to continue to meet the food security needs of its residents.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation from $2,000,000 to an unspecified amount to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(2) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2169, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2169, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair