THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2701

THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022

S.D. 2

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 child care and early education workforce is necessary to support Hawaii's children, working families, and communities.  The legislature further finds that the demand for quality child care and early education far exceeds the number of qualified child care and early education professionals currently available in the State.  The legislature also finds that disruptions to the child care and early 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 child care worker subsidy pilot program to retain the existing early child care workforce;

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

     (3)  Appropriate moneys to be deposited into the early learning special fund and 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 child care worker subsidy pilot program.

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

     (1)  Pilot program serve five per cent of the child care workers in the State;

     (2)  Child care workers not be employed by the department of education, executive office on early learning, or any public charter schools;

     (3)  Child care workers include those working in rural areas and child care deserts; and

     (4)  Child care workers 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 child care workers' pay to, at a minimum, $17.00 per hour.

     (d)  The department of human services shall submit an interim 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, and a final report no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2024.

     (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 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 to be deposited 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; provided that the executive office on early learning shall use the moneys appropriated for the Hawaii early childhood educator stipend program established pursuant to section 302L-9, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050; 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:

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

 

Description:

Establishes a 1-year child care worker subsidy pilot program to assist in retaining the existing child care workforce.  Appropriates moneys for the pilot program to be expended by the Department of Human Services.  Appropriates moneys to be deposited into the early learning special fund and expended by the Executive Office on Early Learning for the Hawaii early childhood educator stipend program.  Repeals the pilot program on 7/1/2023.  Effective 7/1/2050.  (SD2)

 

 

 

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