STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3396

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1676

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1676, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to, and authorize, the Executive Office on Early Learning to enter into agreements with the Department of Education and public charter schools to use available classrooms for public preschool.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Early Learning, the Department of Human Services, the Early Learning Advisory Board, The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Hui for Excellence in Education, Good Beginnings Alliance, the Hawaii Association for the Education of Young Children, the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, PHOCUSED, Kamehameha Schools, the Hawaii Primary Care Association, the Hawaii State Teachers Association, and four individuals.

     Your Committee finds that this measure is necessary to provide services to late-born children who cannot attend kindergarten in the 2014-2015 school year as a result of the change in the kindergarten entry age that is mandated under Act 178, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012.

     Your Committee notes that House Bill No. 1700, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, the supplemental appropriations bill, appropriates $4,470,208 for an early learning pilot program in public schools.  That appropriation, along with appropriations of $1,250,000 for a family child interaction learning program and $3,000,000 for a preschool open doors program, are intended to serve 2,740 late-born children.

     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 H.B. No. 1676, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair