National research shows that a large percentage of Hawaii residents who are eligible for SNAP are not receiving benefits. More aggressive outreach could be worth $50 million to $150 million annual spending in the state, if all those eligible folks signed up, according to the research.
The task rightly lies mainly with the Department of Human Services, which administers SNAP at the state level. DHS supports the intent of HB 1347, but understandably prefers that lawmakers support its budget request as the avenue to boost SNAP, including through staffing and technological improvements.
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