STAND. COM. REP. NO. 890

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1250

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1250, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCY FOOD MANAGEMENT,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the Hawaii emergency food assistance program and Hawaii emergency food assistance program special fund.

 

     More specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Establishes the Hawaii emergency food assistance program to be administered by the Department of Agriculture and to relieve food shortages during declared states of emergency;

 

     (2)  Establishes the Hawaii emergency food assistance program special fund;

 

     (3)  Requires the Department of Agriculture to administer and authorize expenditures from the Hawaii emergency food assistance program special fund; and

 

     (4)  Appropriates moneys into and out of the Hawaii emergency food assistance program special fund.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the City and County of Honolulu's Office of Climate Change, Sustainability, and Resiliency; AlohaCare; Chef Point of View Consulting; Feeding Hawaii Together; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice; Hawaii Community Foundation; Hawaii Farm Bureau; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Hawaii Foodbank; Hawaii Primary Care Association; Hawaii Public Health Institute; IBEW 1260; Ka Ohana O Na Pua; The Pantry by Feeding Hawaii Together; Ulupono Initiative; and numerous individuals.

 

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Department of Budget and Finance.

 

     Your Committee finds that this measure will increase the State's preparation for, and resilience to, declared states of emergency and help to stabilize the State's entire food supply chain during these emergencies.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that the Department of Agriculture shall make moneys available to residents of the State through the Hawaii emergency food assistance program by using the Hawaii emergency food assistance program special fund;

 

     (2)  Clarifying that certain requirements related to the Hawaii emergency food assistance program are only imposed on food banks that receive moneys from the program;

 

     (3)  Deleting this measure's definition of "general fund";

 

     (4)  Making conforming amendments to sections 36-27 and 36‑30, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to reflect the exemption of the Hawaii emergency food assistance program special fund from paying for the costs associated with administering the special fund that would otherwise be imposed pursuant to sections 36-27(a) and 36-30(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes;

 

     (5)  Changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts;

 

     (6)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

 

     (7)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1250, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1250, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair