STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1019

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1347

       H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1347, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program eligibility requirements to increase the number of potential beneficiaries by appropriating funds to the Department of Human Services to hire staff, improve the Department's electronic system's capacity, and contract for services necessary to effectively implement and spread awareness of the Program.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services and two individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that Hawaii should respond to the United States Department of Agriculture's mandate to amend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program income eligibility requirements to increase the number of potential program beneficiaries.  According to the Department of Human Services, Hawaii receives over $500,000,000 annually for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program but ranks thirty-seventh in the country for program participation per capita.  Your Committee further finds that the Department of Human Services requires financial assistance to administer the necessary changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that follow the federal government's 2010 increase to the gross income limit to qualify for the Program.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1347, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair