# Hawaii SB 961: RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

Hawaii SB 961, RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by SAN BUENAVENTURA; status failed, last action 2025-12-08 (Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB961-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 961
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-17
- Last action: 2025-12-08, Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- Sponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: DHS, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Minimum Certification Periods, Elderly Simplified Application Project, Report, HSH, FIN
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 5 (101 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Requires the Department of Human Services to adjust the minimum certification periods for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits households, participate in the Elderly Simplified Application Project, and report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA
- Cosponsor: AQUINO

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-19 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN... | pass | 49 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-13 | House | The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 9 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-04 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 25 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-27 | Senate | The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The... | pass | 13 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-29 | Senate | The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |

## Actions (20)

- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-03-19: Reported from HSH (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1369) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN. (House)
- 2025-03-19: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2). (House)
- 2025-03-13: The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Olds, Amato, Chun, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Takayama, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none. (House)
- 2025-03-07: Bill scheduled to be heard by HSH on Thursday, 03-13-25 10:00AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-06: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to HSH, FIN, referral sheet 19 (House)
- 2025-03-04: Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 230) in amended form (SD 1). (House)
- 2025-02-28: Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 977) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-02-28: One Day Notice 03-04-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-27: The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-21: The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-27-25 10:30AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 646) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Aquino, Hashimoto, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-01-24: The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 01-29-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Referred to HHS, WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Introduced. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB961_HD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB961_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB961_.PDF)
- SB961_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB961_HD1_.HTM)
- SB961_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB961_SD1_.HTM)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB961_HD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB961_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB961_.PDF)
- [SB961_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB961_HD1_.HTM)
- [SB961_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB961_SD1_.HTM)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2344-2026)
- [HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2023-2026)
- [HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2021-2026)
- [SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1973-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB961-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).