STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2147

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2234

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2234 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EXEMPTIONS FROM CHILD CARE LICENSING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to repeal the child care licensing exemption for child care programs licensed by the Hawaii Council of Private Schools.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Association for the Education of Young Children.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Executive Office on Early Learning, Department of Human Services, and Hawaii Association of Independent Schools.

     Your Committees find that it is important to ensure that child care programs and early childhood programs meet health and safety standards so that Hawaii's young children receive safe and quality care.  Your Committees heard testimony from the Department of Human Services and Hawaii Association of Independent Schools expressing strong concerns that this measure would defeat collaborative efforts that have made significant progress toward implementation of Act 163, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012, and Act 140, Session Laws of Hawaii 2013, which this measure would repeal.  The Department also testified that it does not have the resources to implement and staff the tasks that would be required if this measure is passed.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting an appropriation of an unspecified amount to the Department of Human Services; and

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     If this measure is considered for passage by your Committee on Ways and Means, the Department of Human Services is expected to provide information regarding the amount of resources necessary to carry out the purposes of this measure and fund one full-time equivalent position (1.0 FTE).

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2234, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2234, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair

____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair