THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2701

THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO EARLY EDUCATION.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that a strong early child care and education workforce is necessary to support Hawaii's children, working families, and communities.  The legislature further finds that the demand for quality early child care and education far exceeds the number of qualified early child care professionals currently available in the State.  The legislature also finds that disruptions to the early child care and education system caused by the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic have created more challenges to expand access to quality, affordable early child care and education programs.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Establish a one-year early child care worker subsidy pilot program to retain the existing early child care workforce;

     (2)  Appropriate funds for early child care worker subsidy pilot program to be expended by the department of human services; and

     (3)  Appropriate funds for the early learning special fund to be expended by the executive office on early learning for the Hawaii early childhood educator stipend program.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  The department of human services shall establish and implement a one-year early child care worker subsidy pilot program.

     (b)  The department of human services shall develop standards and qualifications for participation in the pilot program by early childhood educators, which at a minimum shall require that the:

     (1)  Pilot program serve five per cent of the early childhood educators in the State;

     (2)  Early childhood educators not be employed by the department of education, executive office on early learning, or public charter schools;

     (3)  Early childhood educators include those working in rural areas and child care deserts; and

     (4)  Early childhood educators who apply for participation in the pilot program be selected by lottery.

     (c)  The department of human services shall establish best practices to bring all early childhood educators' pay to, at a minimum, $17.00 per hour.

     (d)  The department of human services shall submit a report on the pilot program, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2023.

     (e)  For the purpose of this section, "child care desert" means any geographic area where child care supply meets less than one-third of the potential demand.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the early child care worker subsidy pilot program.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 into the early learning special fund established pursuant to section 302L-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the executive office on early learning for the Hawaii early childhood educator stipend program established pursuant to section 302L-9, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that sections 3 and 4 of this Act shall take effect on July 1, 2022; provided further that section 2 of this Act shall be repealed on July 1, 2023.

 

 

Report Title:

Early Child Care and Education Workforce; Subsidy; Pilot Program; Special Fund; Appropriation

 

Description:

Establishes a one-year Early Child Care Worker Subsidy Pilot Program to assist in retaining the existing early child care workforce.  Appropriates funds for the pilot program to be expended by the Department of Human Services.  Appropriates funds for the Early Learning Special Fund to be expended by the Executive Office on Early Learning for the Hawaii Early Childhood Educator Stipend Program.  The pilot program repeals on 7/1/2023.  (SD1)

 

 

 

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