STAND. COM. REP. NO. 324-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1939

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1939 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to enhance the capacity and resources of the Executive Office on Early Learning by appropriating funds for a permanent business management officer and permanent contract specialist.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks! and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in support of the intent of this measure from the Executive Office on Early Learning. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Early Learning Board.

Your Committee finds that there is significant benefit from substantial investment in high-quality early learning programs. Your Committee further finds that children who have accessed such programs are more likely to succeed in kindergarten, later in life, and well into adulthood. This measure will appropriate funds to enhance the capacity and resources of the Executive Office on Early Learning to continue to provide Hawaii's young children with high-quality early learning programs.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the amounts appropriated to unspecified amounts;

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050; and

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

Should your Committee on Finance choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider appropriating $170,000 for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the Executive Office on Early Learning, to be allocated as follows:

(1) $105,000 for one full-time (1.00 FTE) permanent business management officer; and

(2) $65,000 for one full-time (1.00 FTE) permanent contract specialist.

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 H.B. No. 1939, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1939, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair