STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3396

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1939

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1939, H.D. 1, 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 appropriate funds for two positions in the Executive Office on Early Learning in order to enhance capacity and resources of the office.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Early Learning and Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks!.

Your Committee finds that substantial investments in high-quality early learning programs yield significant and far-reaching benefits. Children who have accessed early learning programs are more likely to succeed in kindergarten and each successive grade, as well as outside of the classroom and into adulthood.  Your Committee further finds that the Executive Office on Early Learning, which promotes the delivery of high-quality early learning programs in the State, is presently in need of additional staffing to fully realize its purpose and potential. Accordingly, this measure will help further the objectives of the Executive Office on Early Learning, and benefit all children in the State, by establishing and funding two new staff positions within the office.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2051, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) 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 H.B. No. 1939, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1939, H.D. 1, 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,

________________________________

MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair