Even though SNAP is a Federal program, the States are better able to make some changes. Governor Josh Green, M.D., will ask for an extra $45 million in government aid for Hawaii families.
Because of this, this move will help families who are having a hard time. It will let between 13,000 and 14,000 households get an average of $3,200 a year from SNAP benefits, which used to be called Food Stamps.
Who will benefit from this measure for the SNAP program?
As Governor Josh Green, M.D. puts it, it “will be a huge relief for our working-class families.” Please be aware that Hawaii has the most expensive cost of living in the whole country.
To make it happen, the State of Hawaii will do what a new study led by the University of Hawai‘i Economic Research Organization (UHERO) says should be done.
It’s important to remember that a family of four can get up to $1,759 a month. However, that amount will drop to $1,723 on October 1, 2024. With the 2025 COLA, the highest amounts will go down.
What is changing in the SNAP rules to increase eligibility?
Because of changes made in 2000, states have more freedom to change rules about who is eligible. Hawaii can set up a BBCE program in this case. Broad-based categorical eligibility is what BBCE stands for.
States can get rid of wealth limits with this broad-based categorical eligibility measure. In other words, you couldn’t get SNAP benefits if you had a lot of money saved up.
Also, BBCE lets states raise the limits on how much money a household can make and still be qualified for SNAP (Food Stamps). If the “net income limit” is also taken away, SNAP would be available to between 13,000 and 14,000,000 low-income households. It would mean that the State would have to spend money.