STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2240

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3087

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 3087 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to expand access to early learning programs on other state properties and public lands besides Department of Education public school campuses.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Executive Office on Early Learning, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Department of Human Services, Early Learning Board, Heʻe Coalition, Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!, Early Childhood Action Strategy, and CARES.

Your Committee finds that early childhood education is of paramount importance to provide Hawaii's youngest students with the opportunity to learn and grow. Presently, the Executive Office on Early Learning and Department of Human Services have a mandate to provide all three- and four-year-old children with accessible prekindergarten programs by 2032. While the State has made significant progress to ensure greater accessibility to prekindergarten programs, affordability remains a significant barrier for many families statewide. Therefore, this measure positions the State to pursue expansion of prekindergarten programs while providing affordable, high quality experiences to Hawaii's keiki.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

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. 3087, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3087, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair