Senate committee approves emergency $16.5 million appropriation to replenish DHS funding

The Senate committee voted to advance HB 23 10, an emergency appropriation intended to move $16.5 million in new funds to the Department of Human Services to address urgent benefit continuity following the government shutdown.

Meredith Nichols of DHS told the committee the appropriation is intended to move money quickly so the department can keep benefits flowing. "We need an emergency appropriation to move the funding more quickly to restore so that we have enough to get through our current...," Nichols said, explaining the funding would allow DHS to avoid gaps for people enrolled in Affordable Care Act‑related premium assistance and SNAP supports.

Advocates from the Hawaii Public Health Institute, Catholic Charities and other nonprofits urged passage, noting the human impacts of lost benefits. Nicole Wu of the Children's Action Network said more than half of Hawaii SNAP recipients are in families with children and urged the committee to pass the bill to keep families from falling into food insecurity.

Committee members asked why the request was not included in the budget. DHS responded that the emergency appropriation pathway moves funding faster than budget processes and that the $16.5 million is new money, not reimbursement of prior expenditures. The committee adopted a recommendation to pass HB 23 10 with amendments (including a committee‑set defective effective date) and to note the original requested amount in the committee report.

The committee recorded the motion to pass with amendments and adopted the recommendation; the measure will be carried forward for additional legislative consideration.