SB 1418, An Act Reducing Barriers To Food Security

TESTIMONY OF THE CONNECTICUT HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
SUBMITTED TO THE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

Thursday, March 6, 2025

The Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) appreciates this opportunity to submit testimony concerning SB 1418, An Act Reducing Barriers To Food Security. CHA supports this bill.

Connecticut hospitals and health systems care for patients, strengthen the state’s economy, and support vulnerable communities across the state. Every day, they work to improve healthcare access, affordability, and health equity. Even as they face ongoing challenges, hospitals provide world-class care to everyone who walks through their doors, regardless of their ability to pay. Hospitals also support an exemplary workforce as the largest collective employer in the state, contribute significantly to the state’s economy, and invest in their communities addressing social drivers of health.

SB 1418 aims to maximize state and federal resources to reduce barriers to food security. CHA supports the bill’s focus on strengthening the capacity of the state’s local food system by establishing a Connecticut Food Security Fund, a grant program to establish or expand food security hubs, establishing a Restaurant Meals Program to support eligible beneficiaries of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and appropriating additional funds for SNAP.

Provisions of the bill target economic, environmental, and social barriers to food security. The Connecticut Food Security Fund would be implemented by setting aside 1% of the existing tax on prepared meals, which will ensure a sustainable financial resource dedicated to food security initiatives and efforts to mitigate the economic constraints that limit access to healthy foods. The creation of food hubs will address environmental barriers to accessing nutritious food, such as food deserts in underserved communities, because the hubs will be equipped with storage, refrigeration, and distribution capacity.

Additionally, the bill takes a community-based approach by encouraging the engagement of local food systems in supporting food security efforts with its proposed grant program for nonprofits. The comprehensive vision for addressing systemic barriers associated with existing food assistance programs further enhances the likelihood of achieving the goals of the bill by bridging the funding and implementation gaps that sometimes prevent ongoing initiatives from fully realizing long-term health improvement outcomes.

Thank you for your consideration of our position. For additional information, contact CHA Government Relations at (203) 294-7301.