STAND. COM. REP. NO. 271-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2227

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Corrections, Military, & Veterans, to which was referred H.B. No. 2227 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expand the existing state exemption for United States Department of Defense-certified child care providers to those operating off federal property.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the United States Department of Defense; Hawaii Military Affairs Council; and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committees find that the Department of Defense's Family Child Care Program is a military child care certification process that enhances the quality of life and economic security of child care providers and military families seeking qualified child care options. Your Committees additionally find that while there is an urgent need for qualified child care options, civilian and military families frequently encounter waitlists and capacity issues for family child care. Your Committees believe that this measure can help mitigate these delays by expanding the existing exemption for child care providers already certified by the United States Department of Defense to those providers operating off federal property.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring a child care facility with clients who are not children of enlisted families or who receive child subsidies from the Department of Human Services to have memorandums of understanding with the Department regarding the operation of the facility;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Corrections, Military, & Veterans that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2227, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2227, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Corrections, Military, & Veterans,

____________________________ MARK J. HASHEM, Chair

____________________________ LISA MARTEN, Chair