STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1368

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 960

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred S.B. No. 960, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Human Services to improve Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program rates, including establishing additional positions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Aging; Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition; Indivisible Hawai‘i Working Families Team; AAUW of Hawai‘i; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice; Ka Ohana O Na Pua; Hawai‘i Foodbank; Hawai‘i Hunger Action Network; Hawaii Food Industry Association; North Hawaii Community Action Network; North Shore Nutrition; Get Fit Kaua‘i; Hawai‘i Food+ Policy; Hawai‘i Children's Action Network Speaks!; Catholic Charities Hawai‘i; Hawai‘i Family Caregiver Coalition; AlohaCare; Hawai‘i Public Health Institute; Malana Kaua‘i; Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that many low-income households in Hawaii continue to face significant challenges in accessing sufficient food due to the State's high cost of living and rising food prices. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program plays a vital role in addressing food insecurity, contributing more than $630,000,000 annually to the State's economy. However, participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program remains hindered by administrative challenges, including staff shortages at the Department of Human Services, resulting in prolonged wait times and difficulties in completing eligibility interviews. This measure seeks to allocate funding to strengthen the Department of Human Services' staffing capacity and operational efficiency, ultimately increasing access to food assistance and ensuring that more eligible individuals can benefit from this essential program.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $1,100,000 for the Department of Human Services to establish an incentive payment for eligibility workers to encourage a higher rate of accurate determinations of eligibility and payments for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 960, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 960, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services & Homelessness,

____________________________

LISA MARTEN, Chair