STAND. COM. REP. NO. 977

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 961

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 961, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to facilitate nutrition assistance for the needy.

Specifically, the measure requires the Department of Human Services to:

(1) Set the minimum certification periods for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit households to twelve months; provided that for households in which all adult members are sixty years of age or older, the minimum certification periods shall be twenty-four months;

(2) Participate in the Elderly Simplified Application Project of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to simplify eligibility determinations for eligible households; and

(3) Submit reports to the Legislature regarding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Elderly Simplified Application Project.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Aging; Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency of the City and County of Honolulu; a member of the Hawaii County Council; Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition; AARP Hawaii; Ka Ohana O Na Pua; Indivisible Hawaii Statewide Network; Hawaii Primary Care Association; Hawaii Appleseed; Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks!; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Indivisible Hawaii; AAUW of Hawaii; Hawaii Public Health Institute; Hawaii Hunger Action Network; Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action; Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition; Catholic Charities Hawaii; AlohaCare; Hawaii Foodbank; Our Lady of Mount Carmel Foodbank; Healthy Eating Active Living Coalition of Kauai County; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and one individual.

Your Committee finds that increased access to nutritious meals will improve the overall health of the State's needy children and senior citizens. Your Committee finds this measure to be an appropriate mechanism to reach that goal.

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. 961, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair