STAND. COM. REP. NO. 701

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 423

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 Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 423 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Add the Director of the Hawaii Head Start State Collaboration Office, or their designee, as an ex officio, non-voting member to the Early Learning Board; and

(2) Require the Early Learning Board to invite the President of the Head Start Association of Hawaii, or their designee, to serve as an ex officio, non-voting member of the Board.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Early Learning Board, Executive Office on Early Learning, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the Early Learning Board is responsible for the formulation of statewide policy relating to early childhood education. As the Early Learning Board encompasses expertise from various aspects of early childhood education needs, the inclusion of two additional members will enhance the effectiveness and knowledge of the Board to direct the Executive Office on Early Learning. Therefore, this measure advances the State's early childhood education goals while ensuring the Early Learning Board's membership remains compliant with existing law.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Early Learning Board to invite a representative of local providers of early childhood education and development services to serve as an ex officio, non-voting member if no voting member fulfills this role; and

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

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. 423, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 423, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

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MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair