Committee advances grants bill aimed at helping people affected by new federal SNAP work rules

The Senate Labor and Technology Committee voted March 18 to pass House Bill 2116, House Draft 2, a grants measure supporters say will help people at risk of losing SNAP and related benefits as federal work‑requirement rules change.

Ray Domingo, Executive Director of the Office of Community Services (DLIR), told the committee the bill ‘‘will assist individuals at risk of losing benefits due to federal requirements.’’ Chris Coffield of the Hawaii Public Health Institute cited Department of Human Services data included in written testimony, saying roughly 16,000 people aged 55–64 and 10,000 households with a dependent child could be affected by new eligibility rules, and argued that nonprofit partners can help meet work‑oriented requirements through paid or volunteer placements.

Catholic Charities Hawaii and multiple health and community organizations offered written and oral support, describing the proposal as a practical, proactive step to prevent hunger and increased strain on health and social services.

The committee adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass the bill and directed the report to insert $65,000 for a temporary full‑time program specialist (to assist the Office of Community Services with awarding grants) and $10,000 for the Attorney General to assist implementation. The measure has a defective effective date that will be addressed in the committee report.

What's next: HB2116 advances with committee report appropriation language to support administration; agencies will coordinate to specify final appropriation language and implementation timelines.