STAND. COM. REP. NO. 789

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1609

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1609, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Human Services to establish and implement an Early Learning Services Contracts Program to make available, at a negotiated rate and schedule, a designated number of seats at licensed infant and toddler child care centers and family child care centers for families referred by the Department.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Early Childhood Action Strategy, Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks!, Parents and Children Together, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and two individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Executive Office on Early Learning.

Your Committee finds that contracting for child care slots, as required by this measure, will help increase the availability of high-quality child care for low-income families and provide a stable and sustainable source of funding for child care providers.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1609, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair