The state Department of Human Services says it has introduced a new food stamp benefits processing system to address an applications backlog.

The department said in a statement Tuesday it expects to be in full compliance with federal timelines for processing food stamp applications by December of this year.

A lawsuit filed in 2010 on behalf of food stamp recipients asks a judge to require the department to process the vast majority of food stamp applications within 30 days as required by federal guidelines. 

Hawaii had been processing about 78 percent of food stamp applications on time.

The department says between 78 percent and 88 percent of applications submitted on Maui and in Hilo have been processed within federal timelines since November.