STAND. COM. REP. NO. 153-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2208

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 2208 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD SECURITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for the Hawaii Farm to Families Program to support food banks statewide in purchasing, storing, and transporting fresh, Hawaii-grown or -produced food to food-insecure communities.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency; County of Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Academy of Family Physicians; Ulupono Initiative; Get Fit Kauaʻi; Maui Food Bank; Malu ʻAina; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice; Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!; Hawaiʻi Health & Harm Reduction Center; Hawaiʻi Foodbank; Hawaiʻi Hunger Action Network; Malama Kauaʻi; Hawaii Food+ Policy; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Kauai Climate Action Coalition; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; Hawaiʻi Farmer's Union; Local Food Coalition; 350Hawaii.org; Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi; Aloha United Way; Hawaiʻi Primary Care Association; Waimānalo Agricultural Association; Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action; Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Producers Cooperative; The Food Basket, Inc.; Kauai Bible Church; Kohala Coast Urgent Care & Mobile Health/Molokaʻi Family & Urgent Care; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that food insecurity remains a significant and persistent challenge for households across the State, disproportionately affecting children and other vulnerable populations. Your Committee further finds that supporting partnerships between food banks and local agricultural producers can improve access to fresh, nutritious food for food-insecure communities while strengthening Hawaii's local food system and economy. The Hawaii Farm to Families Program will help address immediate food needs by enabling food banks to purchase, store, and distribute fresh, Hawaii-grown or -produced food to food-insecure communities statewide.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting grant standards as recommended by the Department of the Attorney General;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2208, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2208, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems.

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

____________________________

LISA MARTEN, Chair