Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee cites DHS IT delays as reason to defer some SNAP expansions, approves others with two-year waits
Summary
Advocates told the Senate Health committee that SNAP demand has surged and the Department of Human Services is understaffed; DHS said its new benefits system will not roll out statewide until fall 2026, and the committee added two-year implementation delays to several SNAP-related bills and deferred broader expansions.
The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services heard repeated testimony that federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) demand has surged while Department of Human Services staffing and technology problems are hampering access. Committee members responded by deferring a major SNAP expansion and approving narrower SNAP reforms with delayed implementation dates to accommodate DHS modernization.
Nate Hicks of the Hawaii Public Health Institute told the committee that families face a “benefits cliff” and that rising demand has overwhelmed DHS staff. "Right now families who are receiving SNAP benefits are in a no win situation," Hicks said. "They either stay in poverty and rely on SNAP benefits. Or if they try to earn their way out of poverty, they lose…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
