Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1917 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds to the Department of Education (DOE) for the Families for Resources for Early Access to Learning (Families for R.E.A.L.) program.

DOE, the Hawaii State Teachers Association, and an individual submitted testimony in support of this bill.

Your Committee finds that the Families for R.E.A.L. program provides critical assistance to young children and their families as the children prepare to enter kindergarten. Early childhood education is essential to lifelong success in learning. This bill will enable this worthy program to expand and serve a greater number of children and parents.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1917, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1917, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.