STATE OF HAWAII
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
BENEFIT, EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES DIVISION
PUBLIC NOTICE
Pursuant to sections 91-3(b) and 91-4(b)(2), Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), notice is hereby given that the Department of Human Services (DHS) has adopted emergency rules chapter 17-687, Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR), relating to the Hawaii Emergency Food Assistance Program.
The emergency rules were adopted on November 7, 2025, and shall be in effect for 120 days pursuant to section 91-3(b), HRS. The emergency rules as adopted are as follows:
CHAPTER 17-687 HAWAII EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
The chapter establishes the rules governing the administration and implementation of the Hawaii Emergency Food Assistance Program.
1. §17-687-1, Purpose. This section states the purpose of the chapter and the effective date of the rules.
2. §17-687-2, Definitions. This section provides definitions for the following terms which are referenced within the chapter:
A. Benefit
B. Categorically eligible
C. Dependent child
D. Department or DHS
E. Department’s designee
F. Electronic benefit transfer or EBT
G. Episode of need
H. Expungement
I. FNS
J. Household or Household unit
K. Non-recurring short-term payment
L. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP
M. Temporary assistance for needy families or TANF
3. §17-687-3, Eligibility. This section outlines that households eligible for the benefit shall be limited to only categorically eligible households as determined under chapter 17-680, and had their benefits suspended from being transmitted to the EBT vendor for processing on October 28, 2025.
4. §17-687-4, Benefit. This section details that the benefit is a one-time payment to a categorically eligible household in the amount of $250 per household member and that for households with a dependent the benefit is a non-recurring, short-term benefit.
5. §17-686-5, Issuance and availability of benefits. This section explains that the benefit will be issued during November 2025, benefits will be issued to the household’s existing EBT account and can only be used for FNS-allowable items at FNS-approved retailers; that unredeemed state-sponsored benefits will be expunged the first business day after December 31, 2025; and that the Department may expand the definition of categorically eligible to include additional households that were approved for November 2025 SNAP benefits, and issue additional benefits should the federal government shutdown continue beyond November 2025, subject to availability of funds to do either.
6. §17-686-6, Review. This section explains that categorically eligible households eligible to receive a benefit pursuant to section 17-687-3 may request a review by the Department when the amount of benefits issued was incorrect based on the household size they were approved for their November 2025 SNAP benefit, or when they were inadvertently not issued a benefit. This section also requires the Department to provide a written determination of the review.
7. §17-686-7, Program termination. This section describes that the program ends at the conclusion of the on-going federal government shutdown and that the expungement of unredeemed benefits shall proceed in accordance with section 17-687-5(c).
A copy of the emergency rules will be mailed at NO COST to any interested person by requesting a copy by calling (808) 586-5720 or by writing to:
Department of Human Services
Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division
Attention: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Office
1010 Richards Street, Room 512
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
The emergency rules are available for public viewing at the following website:
https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/admin-rules-2/admin-rules-for-programs/
Upon request, this notice is available in alternate formats such as large print, Braille, or electronic copy.
RYAN I. YAMANE
DIRECTOR
(SA, TGI, HTH, WHT1511556 11/21/25)
