| 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 such as The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) 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, the four TEFAP food banks and their partner network collectively distributed 36,500,000 pounds of food, more than twice as much food as prior to the pandemic. In fiscal year 2021-2022, they distributed more than twenty-seven million pounds of food, representing more than sixty per cent increase from pre-pandemic distribution. 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 the past three years, and Hawaii's food banks have experienced growing demand and decreased purchasing power. In Hawaii, the TEFAP program is administered by the department of labor and industrial relations' office of community services and provides food banks and partners with critical resources for purchasing food and distributing it to those in need, combatting hunger on a daily basis across the State. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds 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 food banks in the State; provided that: (1) Funds shall be distributed pursuant to the same methodology used by The Emergency Food Assistance Program of the Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture pursuant to title 7 Code of Federal Regulations section 250 to determine the allocation to food banks as defined in title 7 Code of Federal Regulations section 251.3(f) and agencies that function as food banks; and (2) Administering agencies shall use no more than fifteen per cent of their allocation on administrative costs of the program. 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 January 1, 2050. |
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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 such as The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) 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, the four TEFAP food banks and their partner network collectively distributed 36,500,000 pounds of food - more than twice as much food as prior to the pandemic. In fiscal year 2021-2022, they distributed more than 27,000,000 pounds of food, more than a sixty per cent increase from pre-pandemic distribution. Food banks and their partners provide a critical safety net and responses 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 the past three years, and Hawaii's food banks have experienced growing demand and decreased purchasing power. In Hawaii, the TEFAP program is administered by the department of labor and industrial relations' office of community services and provides food banks and partners with critical resources for purchasing food and distributing it to those in need, combatting hunger on a daily basis across the State. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to ensure that Hawaii's foodbanks 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 food banks in the State. 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; provided that: (1) The sums shall be distributed pursuant to the same methodology used by The Emergency Food Assistance Program of the Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture pursuant to title 7 Code of Federal Regulations section 250 to determine the allocation to food banks as defined in title 7 Code of Federal Regulations section 251.3(f) and agencies that function as food banks; and (2) Administering agencies shall use not more than fifteen per cent of their allocation on administrative costs of the program. SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2050. |
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