STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 200
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2023
RE: H.B. No. 261
H.D. 1
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2023
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 261 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EARLY LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The
purpose of this measure is to:
(1) Establish a Child Care Accreditation Program to support accreditation of licensed and registered child care providers;
(2) Delay the deadlines for existing Preschool Open Doors service providers to commence the accreditation process and obtain accreditation;
(3) Appropriate funds for the Child Care Accreditation Program; and
(4) Appropriate funds for deposit into the Child Care Grant Program Special Fund.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Executive Office on Early Learning, AAUW of Hawaii, Hawai‘i
Association of School Psychologists, Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party
of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i
Children's Action Network Speaks!, Early Childhood Action Strategy, Hawai‘i
Association for the Education of Young Children, and ten individuals. Your Committee received testimony in
opposition to this measure from one individual.
Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of
Human Services and Department of the Attorney General.
Your Committee finds
that the State requires service providers wishing to participate in the State's
Preschool Open Doors Program to obtain accreditation from a national early
learning accreditation organization.
Service providers that have not obtained accreditation by July 1, 2022,
must begin the process by no later than July 1, 2024, and obtain accreditation
no later than July 1, 2029. Your
Committee further finds that the Department of Human Services is required to
provide operational and financial support to assist these service providers to
obtain accreditation. This measure
establishes a Child Care Assistance Program within the Department of Human
Services, extends accreditation process deadlines for the Preschool Open Doors
Program, and appropriates funds to assist with the accreditation process, which
will ensure that more service providers are able to offer high-quality,
exceptional levels of care for young children in the State.
Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Inserting language establishing standards for
the distribution of the funds appropriated in this measure as grants under the Child
Care Accreditation Program;
(2) Clarifying the circumstances in which an
individual or organization that owns or operates both a private educational
institution and child care facility may apply for a Child Care Accreditation Program
grant;
(3) Amending the Child Care Grant Program Special Fund
to allow for the use of the fund to award Child Care Accreditation Program grants;
(4) Changing the time frame by which an existing
Preschool Open Doors service provider must begin and complete the accreditation
process to an unspecified date;
(5) Appropriating an unspecified amount of funds
out of the Child Care Grant Program Special Fund for Child Care Accreditation Program
grants;
(6) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000,
to encourage further discussion; and
(7) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 261, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 261, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,
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____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair |
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