HB 619 Summary

• Establishes an income tax credit for qualified farms that donate eligible food products or prepared foods to food banks and food pantries in Hawaii
• Qualified farms must have a valid employer identification number and general excise tax license; eligible products include fresh farmed plant products and value-added prepared foods with native Hawaiian plant ingredients
• Tax credit equals a percentage of the wholesale value of donated products, with a per-farm annual cap and statewide annual cap of $600,000 per taxable year
• Department of Agriculture certifies donations and credit amounts on a first-come, first-served basis; Department of Taxation administers the credit
• Appropriates unspecified funds to the Department of Agriculture for fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025; credit applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022 and sunsets June 30, 2026