STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1371

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 1022

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 Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1022 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish general qualifications for members of the Early Learning Board appointed by the Governor; and

(2) Amend the composition of the voting members of the Early Learning Board to consist of individuals from each county, rather than from particular entities or types of providers.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Early Learning Board.

Your Committee finds that establishing general qualifications for members of the Early Learning Board will ensure that nominees have substantial leadership experience and understand the expectations of participating on the Board. Your Committee further finds that amending the composition of the Early Learning Board to consist of individuals from each county will allow the Board to formulate statewide policy relating to early learning that directly addresses each county's diverse needs.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying the minimum qualifications that each nominee to the Early Learning Board shall meet to require each nominee to:

(A) Have an understanding of early learning governance or be willing to be trained in early learning governance rather than in best practices; and

(B) Have an understanding of the Board's responsibility in developing and promoting a clear, long-term strategic vision for early learning and systems building;

(2) Amending the qualifications that each nominee to the Early Learning Board shall ideally meet to:

(A) Clarify that each nominee demonstrate a deep and abiding interest in early childhood and a dedication to the social, academic, and healthy development of children; and

(B) Require that each nominee bring an expertise in one or more professional disciplines of education, health, human services, business, workforce development, family engagement, early childhood development, or brain development;

(3) Changing the composition of the Early Learning Board to:

(A) Reduce the number of voting members from the City and County of Honolulu from three voting members to one voting member;

(B) Add one voting member who is a representative of Hawaiian medium early learning providers; and

(C) Add one voting member who is a pediatrician with child development focus;

(4) Requiring the Early Learning Board to create an Early Learning Stakeholder Advisory Council to advise the Board, which shall meet at least four times a year and whose members may serve on Board subcommittees;

(5) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000; and

(6) 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 Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1022, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1022, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair