STAND. COM. REP. NO. 552

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 1248

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred H.B. No. 1248 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Agriculture for the continued administration of the Hawaii Healthy Food Incentive Program and to provide matching funds to beneficiaries who participate in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Human Services, County of Hawai‘i Department of Research & Development, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Kanalani Ohana Farm, Malama Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i Pacific Health, Hawai‘i Public Health Institute, Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action, Hawai‘i Primary Care Association, Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center, The Food Basket, Kohana Family Farms, Hawai‘i Food Bank, Okimoto Corp., 350Hawaii.org, Ulupono Initiative, American Heart Association, Climate Protectors Hawai‘i, Oko‘a Farms, Food+ Policy Internship 2023, Hawai‘i Hunger Action Network, Hawai‘i Children's Action Network Speaks!, Hawaii Food Industry Association, Pioneering Healthier Communities Initiative, Hawai‘i Farmers Union United, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, and numerous individuals.

Your Committee finds that the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is an integral part of a healthy diet and central to the prevention of obesity and chronic disease. Your Committee further finds that the Hawaii Healthy Food Incentive Program, also known as DA BUX, incentivizes beneficiaries who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program with a dollar-for-dollar match on locally produced fresh fruits and vegetables. This measure provides the essential funding to continue this valuable program.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $3,000,000 for federal funding match purposes.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1248, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1248, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,

____________________________

CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair