STAND. COM. REP. NO.  482-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2343

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2343 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILD CARE PROVIDERS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to bring state law into alignment with changes to the Federal Child Care and Development Block Grant, Public Law 113-186.  The Child Care and Development Block Grant requirements ensure the health, safety, and well-being of children served under the grant, including requiring the Department of Human Services (Department) to establish minimum health and safety requirements for child care providers as well as persons exempt pursuant to Section 346-152, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to be eligible to provide care to a child whose family receives a child care subsidy from the Department.

The Department, Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest, Hawaii Association for the Education of Young Children, Hawaii Children's Action Network, and a concerned individual supported this measure.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the intent of this measure is not to restrict public access to Department inspection records by requiring that the records be available for inspection in a manner that is set forth by Chapter 92F, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2343, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2343, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair

____________________________ DEE MORIKAWA, Chair