STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1062

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 239

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 239, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to assist child care providers in obtaining accreditation.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Establishes the Child Care Accreditation Program to provide grants to child care providers who have committed to obtaining accreditation;

(2) Extends the deadline for Preschool Open Doors service providers to commence and obtain accreditation; and

(3) Appropriates funds for the Child Care Accreditation Program.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Early Learning Board, Executive Office on Early Learning, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks!, American Association of University Women of Hawaii, Early Childhood Action Strategy, and seven individuals.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that accreditation is among the most well-known measures of quality in early childhood education. However, obtaining accreditation is an expensive and time‑consuming process. Your Committee further finds that supporting child care providers in their process to obtain accreditation will help to ensure the highest quality of child care in the State.

Your Committee requests that the need for additional grant award standards, as described in the written comments submitted by the Department of the Attorney General, be considered for inclusion by subsequent subject matter committees hearing this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Authorizing the Child Care Accreditation Program to award grant funding to a child care provider that has committed to obtaining accreditation from an accrediting organization approved by the Director of Human Services;

(2) Adding a new section to appropriate funds out of the child care grant program special fund for the purposes of the child care grant program; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 239, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 239, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair