STAND. COM. REP. NO. 473-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1745

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness and Health, Human Services, & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 1745 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO SUPPORT HAWAII'S FOOD BANKS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to support the State's food banks.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from one member of the Maui County Council; AlohaCare; Hawaii Food Bank; Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center; Hawaii Medical Service Association; Aloha Harvest; Maui Food Bank; Malama Kaua‘i; Hawaii Association of Health Plans; Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center; Kaiser Permanente; Hawai‘i Primary Care Association; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; Ulupono Initiative; Parents And Children Together; The Food Basket Inc., Hawai‘i Island's Food Bank; Hawaii Foodbank Kaua‘i; United Public Workers, AFSCME Local 646, AFL-CIO; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawai‘i Hunger Action Network; Hawaii Food Industry Association; and thirteen individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Office of Community Services of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

Your Committees find that the economic disruption precipitated by the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic substantially increased food insecurity in the State. Food insecurity in the State was further exacerbated by the pandemic, with one in six Hawaii residents struggling with hunger, including eighty-two thousand children. Your Committees further find that Hawaii has the second highest rate of child food insecurity in the United States. This measure provides crucial operational support to Hawaii's food banks and ensures the provision of healthy, nutritious food to Hawaii's residents.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation amount to an unspecified amount;

(2) Allocating one percent of the funds appropriated to the Office of Community Services of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations for the purposes of this measure;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committees note that although the appropriation amount was changed to an unspecified amount to encourage further discussion, the requested amount is $2,000,000. Your Committees further note that in their oral testimony, the Office of Community Services of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations stated that one percent of the original appropriation amount, or $20,000, would be necessary to cover the costs incurred by carrying out this measure.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness and Health, Human Services, & Homelessness that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1745, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1745, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness and Health, Human Services, & Homelessness,

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair

____________________________ LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair