HB1300 CD1 CCR167

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO.167

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 1300

H.D. 2

S.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1300, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this bill is to improve early childhood education in the state by:

(1) Establishing incentives for a quality investment system;

(2) Establishing and appropriating funds for a temporary Early Childhood Education Task Force (Task Force) to oversee the operational planning to increase access to early learning opportunities, enhance infrastructure, and improve school readiness; and

(3) Establishing and appropriating funds for a two-year pilot program to provide universal access to early childhood education for families in critical need, as determined by the Department of Human Services (DHS).

Your Committee on Conference has amended this bill by:

(1) Removing the provisions that require DHS to establish incentives for a quality investment system;

(2) Removing all the provisions relating to the Task Force and inserting new language for the Task Force as follows:

(a) Administratively attaching it to the University of Hawaii (UH);

(b) Making the Hawaii Educational Policy Center responsible for administering the work of and providing a facilitator for the Task Force and submitting a report to the Legislature of the Task Force's findings and recommendations;

(i) Propose an overall plan to increase access to early childhood education opportunities for families;

(ii) Develop plans and identify resources needed to improve the quality and services of early childhood learning programs;

(iii) Design proposals to support the professional development of early childhood education staff;

(iv) Create an implementation plan to motivate and promote the value of and participation in early childhood learning opportunities;

(v) Recommend to the Legislature a conceptual framework to be implemented; and

(vi) Provide a plan for assessment and exclusion of the plan once implemented;

(d) Requiring the Task Force to establish a timeline by which it is to accomplish its goals and tasks;

(e) Specifying the 20 members of the Task Force;

(f) Authorizing the Task Force to form workgroups and subcommittees as needed;

(g) Specifying that its members are to serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses necessary for the performance of their duties;

(h) Exempting the Task Force from chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS); provided that it make a good faith effort to operate in a manner consistent with the intent of the chapter;

(i) Exempting expenditures for the purpose of the Task Force from the Hawaii Public Procurement Code, chapter 103D, HRS; and

(j) Repealing the Task Force on June 30, 2006;

(3) Appropriating $50,000 to UH to support the operations of the Task Force;

(4) Removing the provisions that establish and appropriate funds for the early childhood education pilot program;

(5) Requiring the Department of Education to:

(a) Inventory suitable empty public school classrooms for use by early childhood education programs; and

(b) Assist in the identification of possible construction sites for private providers to build early childhood education facilities;

(6) Changing the exceptions to the effective date to reflect the changes made to the bill; and

(7) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1300, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1300, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair		____________________________ ROY TAKUMI, Co-Chair
____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Co-Chair		____________________________ ALEX M. SONSON, Co-Chair
____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair		____________________________ BERTHA C. KAWAKAMI, Co-Chair