STAND. COM. REP. NO. 67

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 961

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. 961 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Appropriate funds for the Preschool Open Doors Program to expand access to preschool and implement program changes required by previous acts;

(2) Expand the Executive Office on Early Learning's Public Pre-Kindergarten Program to serve three-year-old children;

(3) Expand the types of entities from which a Preschool Open Doors service provider may obtain accreditation; and

(4) Authorize the Preschool Open Doors Special Fund to accept federal funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Department of Human Services, Executive Office on Early Learning, Kamehemeha Schools, Commit to Keiki, Hawai‘i Children's Action Network Speaks!, Early Childhood Action Strategy, Hui for Excellence in Education, and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Early Learning Board.

Your Committee finds that the Executive Office on Early Learning's Public Pre-Kindergarten Program provides free public pre-kindergarten options in thirty-seven classrooms across thirty-four Department of Education campuses. Child care subsidies and tuition assistance programs, such as Preschool Open Doors, help eligible families afford child care and preschool tuition rates, thereby alleviating the financial burden many families face when attempting to access early learning opportunities. This measure expands access to both programs, which will provide more families with access to affordable high-quality early learning opportunities.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the Preschool Open Doors Program application process shall be open to eligible three-year-old children;

(2) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee notes that the Department of Human Services estimates that expanding the Preschool Open Doors Program to eligible three-year-old children will warrant additional funding requests in the amount of $39,836,000 for fiscal year 2024-2025 and $39,336,000 for fiscal year 2025-2026.

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. 961, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 961, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Education.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair