Bill > SB881

This bill establishes the Hawaii Food Security Special Fund to address significant food insecurity challenges in Hawaii, where nearly one in three households struggled to afford food in 2023 and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits have been decreasing. The bill creates a special fund within the state treasury that will receive legislative appropriations, grants, and other funding sources to supplement existing SNAP benefits and restore them to the levels provided in federal fiscal year 2023. The fund will be administered by the department of human services and distributed through the electronic benefit transfer system, ensuring that eligible SNAP households receive additional support to maintain their current benefit levels. Currently, 98,440 Hawaii families participate in SNAP, with a typical four-person household earning less than $3,887 monthly, and the bill aims to prevent further financial strain by providing a state-level backstop to federal benefit reductions. The legislation requires the department to submit an annual report to the legislature detailing the fund's status and includes appropriations for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to support these efforts, with the act set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Health and Social Services

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=881&year=2025