STAND. COM. REP. NO. 58

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 880

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 880 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EARLY CHILD INTERVENTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Human Resources Development to reclassify certain positions within the Early Childhood Services Unit of the Department of Health Early Intervention Section; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the reclassification of certain positions and establishment of mental health specialist positions within the Early Childhood Services Unit of the Department of Health Early Intervention Section.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Hawai‘i Early Intervention Coordinating Council; Waiʻanae Coast Early Childhood Services; Early Childhood Action Strategy; Association for Infant Mental Health in Hawaiʻi; Hawai‘i Children's Action Network Speaks!; and nine individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Resources Development.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii continues to face significant challenges in providing essential services for children with special needs under the age of three, largely due to high vacancy rates among early intervention providers. The shortage of specialists affects infant and toddler development and the State's ability to comply with federal mandates. This measure strengthens the State's capacity to meet early childhood developmental and mental health needs and addresses recruitment and retention issues that are critical to ensuring that children receive the essential services they need.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $52,800 for the reclassification of certain positions within the Early Childhood Services Unit of the Department of Health Early Intervention Section and $142,032 for the establishment of two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) permanent mental health specialist positions within the Early Childhood Services Unit of the Department of Health Early Intervention Section.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 880, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 880, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Labor.

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

____________________________

LISA MARTEN, Chair