Hawaii 2024 Regular Session

Hawaii Senate Bill SCR21 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	THE SENATE S.C.R. NO. 21 THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024 STATE OF HAWAII SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION requesting the university of hawaii economic research organization to conduct a study of ways to Increase access to supplemental nutrition assistance program BENEFITS.
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3	3	THE SENATE S.C.R. NO. 21
4	4	THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
5	5	STATE OF HAWAII
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7	7	THE SENATE
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9	9	S.C.R. NO.
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13	13	THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
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17	17	STATE OF HAWAII
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29	29	SENATE CONCURRENT
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31	31	RESOLUTION
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37	37	requesting the university of hawaii economic research organization to conduct a study of ways to Increase access to supplemental nutrition assistance program BENEFITS.
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45	45	WHEREAS, many low-income households struggle to purchase food due to Hawaii's high cost of living and food prices; and WHEREAS, more than one in six residents experience food insecurity; and WHEREAS, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the food stamp program, is crucial in providing food assistance to some of Hawaii's most economically disadvantaged residents; and WHEREAS, households with incomes that are two hundred percent above the federal poverty level are ineligible for SNAP; and WHEREAS, the 2023 United For ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) report highlighted that a family of four with a household income of $69,000 per year is ineligible for SNAP benefits but needs an income of over $100,000 per year to meet basic needs, including food and housing; and WHEREAS, if the same family earned just $1,000 less per year, or $68,000, the family would be eligible to receive more than $9,000 in SNAP benefits; and WHEREAS, the two hundred percent poverty level income eligibility cutoff for SNAP assistance creates a benefits cliff that disincentivizes individuals from reaching their greatest earning potential; and WHEREAS, many families just below SNAP's income eligibility threshold decline pay increases because the financial benefit of increased economic opportunities does not exceed the potential cost of losing SNAP benefits; and WHEREAS, SNAP is a highly effective anti-hunger initiative throughout the country; in Hawaii, SNAP supports over one hundred thirty thousand individuals and brings more than $630,000,000 into the State's economy each year; and WHEREAS, many families with incomes below the two hundred percent poverty level are ineligible for SNAP benefits for other reasons, such as citizenship status or education level; and WHEREAS, many families who are eligible for SNAP are not enrolled; and WHEREAS, addressing the problem posed by the SNAP benefits cliff would help economically vulnerable households meet their basic needs without limiting their earning potential; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, the House of Representatives concurring, that the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization is requested to conduct a study of ways to increase access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study is requested to include: (1) Public policy options for addressing the benefits cliff created by SNAP's eligibility requirements, including a cost-benefit analysis of expanding eligibility to households that are three hundred percent above the federal poverty level; (2) An estimate of the number of Hawaii residents whose income is below the three hundred percent federal poverty level and who may become eligible for SNAP benefits if the State expands income eligibility to this level; (3) An estimate of the number of residents who are currently eligible for SNAP, but not enrolled; and (4) Other issues that the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization determines to be important in increasing access to SNAP benefits; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2025; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Director of Human Services, and Executive Director of the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization. OFFERED BY: _____________________________ Report Title: University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; Study; Eligibility Requirements
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47	47	WHEREAS, many low-income households struggle to purchase food due to Hawaii's high cost of living and food prices; and
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51	51	WHEREAS, more than one in six residents experience food insecurity; and
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55	55	WHEREAS, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the food stamp program, is crucial in providing food assistance to some of Hawaii's most economically disadvantaged residents; and
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59	59	WHEREAS, households with incomes that are two hundred percent above the federal poverty level are ineligible for SNAP; and
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63	63	WHEREAS, the 2023 United For ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) report highlighted that a family of four with a household income of $69,000 per year is ineligible for SNAP benefits but needs an income of over $100,000 per year to meet basic needs, including food and housing; and
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67	67	WHEREAS, if the same family earned just $1,000 less per year, or $68,000, the family would be eligible to receive more than $9,000 in SNAP benefits; and
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71	71	WHEREAS, the two hundred percent poverty level income eligibility cutoff for SNAP assistance creates a benefits cliff that disincentivizes individuals from reaching their greatest earning potential; and
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75	75	WHEREAS, many families just below SNAP's income eligibility threshold decline pay increases because the financial benefit of increased economic opportunities does not exceed the potential cost of losing SNAP benefits; and
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79	79	WHEREAS, SNAP is a highly effective anti-hunger initiative throughout the country; in Hawaii, SNAP supports over one hundred thirty thousand individuals and brings more than $630,000,000 into the State's economy each year; and
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83	83	WHEREAS, many families with incomes below the two hundred percent poverty level are ineligible for SNAP benefits for other reasons, such as citizenship status or education level; and
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87	87	WHEREAS, many families who are eligible for SNAP are not enrolled; and
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91	91	WHEREAS, addressing the problem posed by the SNAP benefits cliff would help economically vulnerable households meet their basic needs without limiting their earning potential; now, therefore,
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95	95	BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, the House of Representatives concurring, that the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization is requested to conduct a study of ways to increase access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits; and
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99	99	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study is requested to include:
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103	103	(1) Public policy options for addressing the benefits cliff created by SNAP's eligibility requirements, including a cost-benefit analysis of expanding eligibility to households that are three hundred percent above the federal poverty level;
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107	107	(2) An estimate of the number of Hawaii residents whose income is below the three hundred percent federal poverty level and who may become eligible for SNAP benefits if the State expands income eligibility to this level;
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111	111	(3) An estimate of the number of residents who are currently eligible for SNAP, but not enrolled; and
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115	115	(4) Other issues that the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization determines to be important in increasing access to SNAP benefits; and
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119	119	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2025; and
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123	123	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Director of Human Services, and Executive Director of the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization.
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131	131	OFFERED BY: _____________________________
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135	135	OFFERED BY:
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151	151	Report Title:
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153	153	University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; Study; Eligibility Requirements