Bill > HB687

This bill proposes several modifications to Hawaii's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a federal food assistance program that helps low-income individuals and families purchase food. The bill requires the Department of Human Services to implement four key changes: (1) when calculating household benefits, the department must proportionately account for income from household members who are ineligible for SNAP due to immigration status or other federal exclusion criteria, ensuring that eligible members are not unfairly penalized; (2) establish a standardized medical expense deduction for elderly or disabled households, which simplifies the application process by allowing a set deduction instead of requiring detailed medical expense documentation; (3) create a pre-release application process for incarcerated individuals scheduled for release, which involves partnering with correctional facilities to help eligible individuals apply for SNAP benefits before they are released, ensuring they can access food assistance immediately upon reentry; and (4) submit annual reports to the legislature detailing the implementation and impact of these new SNAP program options. Additionally, the bill specifies that certain federal restrictions on providing SNAP benefits to individuals with specific felony convictions will not apply in Hawaii, potentially expanding access to food assistance for more residents.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=687&year=2026