CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 197

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 239

S.D. 2

H.D. 3

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 239, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Human Services to establish a Child Care Accreditation Program to assist licensed and registered child care providers obtain accreditation;

(2) Authorize the use of the Child Care Grant Program Special Fund for Child Care Accreditation Program grants;

(3) Extend the deadlines by which existing Preschool Open Doors Program service providers are required to commence the accreditation process and obtain accreditation, and includes the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools to the list of accrediting organizations;

(4) Appropriate funds for the Child Care Accreditation Program, including funds to establish an unspecified number of positions for the program; and

(5) Appropriate funds into and out of the Child Care Grant Special Fund for Child Care Accreditation Program grants.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the Preschool Open Doors Program is the State's school readiness program that serves low- to moderate-income families whose children will be eligible for kindergarten in the following school year. To ensure that children participating in the program are receiving certain levels of care, existing law requires program service providers who have not obtained accreditation from a national early learning accrediting organization by July 1, 2022, to commence the accreditation process no later than July 1, 2024, and be accredited by July 1, 2029. However, the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic have delayed this process for many child care providers. This measure will provide the additional time and funds needed for child care providers to obtain the necessary accreditation.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding the requisite information for making an appropriation in excess of the general fund expenditure ceiling pursuant to article VII, section 9, of the Hawaii State Constitution and sections 37-91 and 37-93, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(2) Requiring each child care provider who receives grant funds from the Department of Human Services to obtain accreditation and continue to provide child care for three years after receiving accreditation;

(3) Extending the deadline by which existing unaccredited Preschool Open Doors Program must commence the accreditation process to July 1, 2029, and the deadline by which they must obtain accreditation to July 1, 2034;

(4) Deleting language that would have included the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools to the list of national early learning accrediting organization from which accreditation can be obtained;

(5) Appropriating $2,102,100 for fiscal year 2023-2024 for the Child Care Accreditation Program, including the establishment of one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent position;

(6) Deleting language that would have appropriated funds into and out of the Child Care Grant Special Fund for Child Care Accreditation Program grants;

(7) Amending section 2 to clarify its purpose;

(8) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2023; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 239, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 239, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO Co-Chair	____________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA Chair
____________________________ MARK M. NAKASHIMA Co-Chair	____________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI Co-Chair
____________________________ LISA KITAGAWA Co-Chair