HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

504

THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to child care.

 

 

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 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 further finds that compensation for child care workers is a factor regarding retention rates.  According to the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment's 2020 Early Childhood Workforce Index, the national average wage for an early childhood worker was $11.65 an hour and the average in Hawaii was $12.43 an hour.  The efforts to maintain and expand quality and affordable child care and early education programs are hindered by the lack of qualified child care and early education professionals. 

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Require the department of human services to develop a two-year child care worker subsidy pilot program to retain existing early child care workforce in licensed child care facilities for preschool children aged two through five; and

     (2)  Appropriate funds for the child care worker subsidy pilot program.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  The department of human services shall establish and implement a two-year child care worker subsidy pilot program no later than six months after the effective date of this Act.

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

     (1)  The pilot program shall be available to all lead caregivers, caregivers, and child care aides in child care facilities for preschool children, aged two through five, licensed by the department of human services;

     (2)  Participants shall not be employed by the department of education, public charter schools, or federally funded early head start program; and

     (3)  Participants shall be limited to child care workers working in licensed child care facilities for preschool children, aged two through five, only.

     (c)  The department of human services shall utilize the child care grant program special fund to subsidize participant's wages to ensure that all participants are paid wages of at least $19.00 per hour.

     (d)  The department may convene and consult community members to establish best practices, policies, or procedures, including the development of a salary schedule, educational requirements, and other matters that would assist implementation of the program.

     (e)  The department of human services shall submit annual reports on the pilot program development and implementation, including impacts to child care facility operators, staff, and any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular sessions of 2024 and 2025.

     (f)  The department of human services shall submit a final report on the pilot program, including impacts to child care facility operators, staff, and any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026.

     (g)  The pilot program shall cease to exist on June 30, 2026.

     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 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 to be deposited into the child care grant program special fund.

SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the child care grant program special fund the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 to be used for the child care worker subsidy pilot program established by section 2 of this Act.

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

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2023.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

 

 

Report Title:

DHS; Child Care Worker Subsidy Pilot Program; Child Care Grant Program Special Fund; Preschool; Appropriation

 

Description:

Requires the department of human services to develop a child care worker subsidy pilot program to assist in retaining qualified child care workers in licensed child care facilities for preschool children aged two through five.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.