State lawmakers are considering a measure that would give incarcerated people better access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps.
One aspect of House Bill 1518 would allow the state to give people nearing release the opportunity to start applying for SNAP.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture allows states to do so by applying for an administrative waiver. The bill would require the state Department of Human Services to seek that waiver.
Supporters of the bill said it would support inmates re-entering society, and that the lack of available assistance after release is a significant barrier to success.
“When someone no longer has the ability to feed themselves, not only does it break down one’s sense of dignity and self-worth, it also puts one into a pure survival mode frame of mind, often leading individuals to whatever it takes, doing whatever it takes to ensure their own survival at whatever cost,” Lindsay Pacheco, who has been incarcerated, told state lawmakers.
“I have witnessed firsthand too many times people who come out of incarceration only to land right back out on the streets without real ability to get a good headstart in staying on a more positive path,” she added.
Thirteen states have already received a waiver to accept pre-release applications for the federal food program.
The Hawaiʻi bill would also allow people convicted of felony drug offenses to participate in SNAP. In 1996, the federal government permanently disqualified them from the program, but gave states the ability to opt out or make modifications so that those restrictions are less severe.
More than half the states in the country have already opted out completely, which HB 1518 is proposing. The state does allow those convicted of felony drug offenses to participate in SNAP, but currently, they have to go through a treatment program first.
Proponents said the bill could help reduce recidivism, or the likelihood of people breaking the law after being released from jail or prison.
A 2018 study by the state Legislative Reference Bureau reported that Hawaiʻi has a recidivism rate of over 50%. The report, on improving the state’s correctional system, also supported more housing, medical and mental health treatment, and educational opportunities for former inmates.
The Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, in written testimony in support of HB 1518, said, “When individuals have access to food, housing support, and (substance abuse disorder) treatment services, they are more likely to remain engaged in care and less likely to return to incarceration. Supporting nutrition during reentry is a proven public health intervention that reduces relapse, overdose risk, and recidivism.”
On Tuesday the bill passed through the House Committee on Human Services and Homelessness. To move forward, it also has to pass hearings in the House Committee on Public Safety and the Committee on Finance.
