STAND. COM. REP. NO. 682

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1329

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1329, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EARLY LEARNING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to clarify provisions of the early learning system.

     More specifically, this measure:

(1)  Allows members of the Early Learning Council who are appointed by the Governor to appoint designees to the council;

(2)  Changes the name of the Keiki First Steps Trust Fund to the Early Learning Trust Fund; and

(3)  Clarifies that any unexpended funds in the Early Learning Trust Fund at the end of each fiscal year shall not lapse to the credit of the general fund, but will remain in the trust fund.

     Your Committee received five written comments on this measure.  The written comments may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that this measure is necessary to provide the Early Learning Council with flexibility and funds to carry out its mission.  Your Committee believes this measure helps Hawaii's youngest residents have access to quality early education, which will have a positive impact on the future success of our children and produce beneficial dividends for all of the State.

     Your Committee amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments and by changing the effective date to July 1, 2070, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1329, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1329, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair