STAND. COM. REP. NO. 234-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2181

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2181 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Recipient Advisory Committee to assist the Department of Human Services in strengthening the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for working families.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute; and eight individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that the benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program help economically vulnerable households meet their basic nutritional needs without sacrificing their financial security. Your Committee additionally finds that allowing recipients of this program to give greater feedback in the facilitation of the program would be useful in helping the Department of Human Services strengthen the program for Hawaii's working families.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that former recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits may be members of the advisory committee;

(2) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount; and

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

Your Committee notes that the Department of Human Services prefers an effective date of December 31, 2024, or later to give the Department time to develop the administrative processes needed to support the advisory council.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2181, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2181, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

____________________________

LISA MARTEN, Chair