STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1221-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   S.B. No. 2545

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Education and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2545, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure that all children in the State have access to high quality early learning programs by, among other things:

     (1)  Establishing the Executive Office on Early Learning;

     (2)  Establishing the Early Learning Advisory Board and repealing the Early Learning Council;

     (3)  Establishing the Pre-plus Program within the Executive Office on Early Learning;

     (4)  Requiring the Executive Office on Early Learning to report to the Legislature prior to the 2013 Legislative session on the status of an implementation plan for the development of the Keiki First Steps program; and

     (5)  Appropriating an unspecified amount of general revenues to establish the Executive Office on Early Learning.

     This measure also repeals junior kindergarten programs at the end of the 2013-2014 school year.

The Office of the Governor, Department of Education, Department of Human Services, Department of Health, University of Hawaii System, Early Learning Council, 17 Community Children's Councils of Hawaii, Aloha United Way, Child and Family Service, ImuAlliance, Partners In Development Foundation, Childcare Business Coalition of Hawaii, Good Beginnings Alliance, Read Aloud America, Special Education Advisory Council, and a concerned individual supported this bill.  The Hui for Excellence in Education, United Friends and Parents for Education, and BeMyVoice! Hawaii supported the intent of this measure.  The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, ‘Aha Pūnana Leo, and three concerned individuals supported this bill with amendments.  The Office of Information Practices, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, and League of Women Voters-Hawaii provided comments.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding a representative of Hawaiian medium early learning providers to the Early Learning Advisory Board;

     (2)  Specifying that the heads of state departments included on the Early Learning Advisory Board will be ex officio voting members;

     (3)  Permitting the Early Learning Advisory Board to testify before the Legislature on its own behalf;

     (4)  Inserting an appropriation amount of $500,000 for the Executive Office on Early Learning; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2545, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2545, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Human Services,

____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair

____________________________ ROY TAKUMI, Chair