HI SB2669

Establishes the Hawaii Benefits Hub within the Office of Enterprise Technology Services to serve as a central portal for residents applying for state-managed social assistance programs including food, housing, elderly, and disability assistance.

Requires the hub to provide real-time eligibility information, a user interface for applications, data governance tools for privacy protection, and AI/machine learning capabilities to predict applicant needs and alert them to potential benefit loss.

Mandates employers, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and state agencies to provide applicant wage and hours data upon request, within one business day if real-time sharing is impractical.

Appropriates $4,250,000 for fiscal year 2026-2027, including $2,000,000 for implementation consultants, $500,000 for four permanent staff positions, and $1,750,000 for data tools, computing infrastructure, and user interface development.

Takes effect July 1, 2026, addressing challenges from new federal requirements including Medicaid community engagement documentation of up to 80 hours monthly of work, training, or volunteer activities.