CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 76

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 961

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 961, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Appropriate funds into and out of the Preschool Open Doors Special Fund for the Preschool Open Doors Program and Executive Office on Early Learning to expand access to preschool and implement program changes required by law;

(2) Expand the types of entities from which a Preschool Open Doors service provider may obtain accreditation;

(3) Expand the Preschool Open Doors Program application process to eligible three-year-old children; and

(4) Authorize the Preschool Open Doors Special Fund to accept federal funds.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language which would have:

(A) Appropriated funds for the Preschool Open Doors Program and Executive Office on Early Learning; and

(B) Authorized the Preschool Open Doors Special Fund to accept federal funds; and

(2) Changing the effective date to upon approval; provided that the provisions expanding the Preschool Open Doors Program application process to eligible three-year-old children shall take effect on January 1, 2024.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 961, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 961, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI Chair	____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO Co-Chair
____________________________ GLENN WAKAI Co-Chair	____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON Co-Chair
	____________________________ LISA KITAGAWA Co-Chair