| 47 | | - | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that food security in Hawaii is a significant challenge for many individuals and families. Currently, one in six Hawaii residents faces food insecurity, including nearly one in four children. More than eighty-two thousand children in the State will struggle with hunger this year, and Hawaii is projected to have the second‑highest rate of child food insecurity in the nation. The legislature further finds that Hawaii's food banks and their partners ensure that those who are food insecure do not go hungry by: (1) Sourcing food through donations, purchases, and federal programs including the emergency food assistance program of the Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture; (2) Inspecting donated food and following the highest standards of food safety and strict standards of food distribution and recordkeeping; and (3) Distributing food to those in need through a network of food pantries, community programs, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and other eligible recipient agencies across the State. The legislature additionally finds that food insecurity levels remain elevated after the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. During fiscal year 2020-2021, Hawaii's four food banks operating the federal emergency food assistance program with their partner network collectively distributed 36,500,000 pounds of food, which is more than twice as much food distributed statewide prior to the pandemic. In fiscal year 2021-2022, these food banks and their partner network distributed more than twenty-seven million pounds of food in the State, representing more than a sixty per cent increase from pre-pandemic distribution levels. Food banks and their partners provide a critical safety net in response to ongoing food insecurity caused by natural disasters, economic pressures, and the high cost of living in Hawaii. Rising inflation rates have driven up food prices twenty-five per cent in three years, and Hawaii's food banks have simultaneously experienced growing demand and decreased purchasing power. The federal emergency food assistance program administered in Hawaii by the department of labor and industrial relations' office of community services provides food banks and their partners with critical resources for purchasing food and distributing it to those in need, combatting hunger on a daily basis across the State. The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to supplement the emergency food assistance program to ensure that Hawaii's food banks and their partners can continue to meet the ongoing food security needs of the people of Hawaii. SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 to fund the purchase, storage, and transportation of food for distribution through the office of community services to the following food banks: Hawaii Foodbank, Inc., which serves the city and county of Honolulu and county of Kauai; Maui Food Bank, Inc., which serves the county of Maui; and The Food Basket, Inc., which serves the county of Hawaii; provided that no more than fifteen per cent of the moneys appropriated may be used for administrative costs; provided further that the office of community services shall use a formula modeled after, and substantially similar to, the emergency food assistance program's state allocation formula, enumerated in 7 Code of Federal Regulations section 251.3(h), to determine the amount to be allocated to each county. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the office of community services of the department of labor and industrial relations for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2023. |
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| 47 | + | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that food security in Hawaii is a significant challenge for many individuals and families. Currently, one in six Hawaii residents faces food insecurity, including nearly one in four children. More than eighty-two thousand children in the State will struggle with hunger this year, and Hawaii is projected to have the second highest rate of child food insecurity in the nation. The legislature further finds that Hawaii's food banks and their partners ensure that those who are food insecure do not go hungry by: (1) Sourcing food through donations, purchases, and federal programs including the emergency food assistance program of the Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture; (2) Inspecting donated food and following the highest standards of food safety and strict standards of food distribution and recordkeeping; and (3) Distributing food to those in need through a network of food pantries, community programs, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and other eligible recipient agencies across the State. The legislature additionally finds that food insecurity levels remain elevated after the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. During fiscal year 2020-2021, Hawaii's four food banks operating the federal emergency food assistance program with their partner network collectively distributed 36,500,000 pounds of food, which is more than twice as much food distributed statewide prior to the pandemic. In fiscal year 2021-2022, these food banks and their partner network distributed more than twenty-seven million pounds of food in the State, representing more than a sixty per cent increase from pre-pandemic distribution levels. Food banks and their partners provide a critical safety net in response to ongoing food insecurity caused by natural disasters, economic pressures, and the high cost of living in Hawaii. Rising inflation rates have driven up food prices twenty-five per cent in three years, and Hawaii's food banks have simultaneously experienced growing demand and decreased purchasing power. The federal emergency food assistance program administered in Hawaii by the department of labor and industrial relations' office of community services provides food banks and their partners with critical resources for purchasing food and distributing it to those in need, combatting hunger on a daily basis across the State. The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to supplement the emergency food assistance program to ensure that Hawaii's food banks and their partners can continue to meet the ongoing food security needs of the people of Hawaii. SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 to fund the purchase, storage, and transportation costs of food for distribution to the food banks in the State through the office of community services; provided that no more than fifteen per cent of the appropriation may be used for administrative costs; provided further that the funds shall be distributed using the emergency food assistance program's methodology to determine the allocation to each of the four counties. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the office of community services of the department of labor and industrial relations for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2023. |
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