STAND. COM. REP. NO. 958

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 547

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 547, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EARLY CHILD CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Human Services to develop a two-year Infant and Toddler Child Care Worker Subsidy Pilot Program to retain the existing early child care workforce in licensed infant and toddler child care center settings; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the Pilot Program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one member of the Hawai‘i County Council, Department of Research and Development of the County of Hawai‘i, aio Family of Companies, Hawai‘i Children's Action Network Speaks!, Save Medicaid Hawai‘i, HPM Building Supply, AAUW of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Hawaiian Host Group, Early Childhood Action Strategy, Holomua Collaborative, Title Guaranty of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Association for the Education of Young Children, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Mana Up, Hawai‘i Gas, and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services, Department of the Attorney General, Executive Office on Early Learning, and Early Learning Board.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 547, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair