Bill > HB704

This bill establishes the Hawaii Food Security Special Fund to address declining Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit levels in Hawaii. The bill aims to restore SNAP benefits to the levels provided in federal fiscal year 2023, recognizing that Hawaii is the only state experiencing benefit reductions while nearly one-third of Hawaii households are food insecure. The special fund will be financed through legislative appropriations, grants, gifts, and other sources, and will be administered by the Department of Human Services via the electronic benefit transfer system to supplement existing federal benefits for eligible SNAP households. The department will be required to submit an annual report to the legislature detailing the fund's status, and the bill appropriates an unspecified amount of general revenue funds for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to support the program. The legislation is designed to help vulnerable families maintain their food security, support local food retailers and agricultural economies, and provide a financial backstop in case of future federal SNAP benefit cuts, with the fund specifically targeting households earning less than $3,887 per month for a family of four.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=704&year=2026