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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
311 |
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THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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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 in the first quarter of state fiscal year ending 2023,
more than fifteen thousand families received Child Care Connection Hawaii
subsidies to help afford child care for children ages six weeks to thirteen
years old. The legislature also finds
that child care for infants and toddlers is the most difficult to find due to a
shortage of early child care providers. Further,
when providers' operating costs are funded by tuition, child care providers
face possible disruption and closure, since tuition is based on ever-changing
enrollment.
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to establish, administer, and appropriate funds for a
two-year infant and toddler child care contracted slots pilot program to
establish procedures to fund slots in licensed infant and toddler center
settings for children receiving child care subsidies.
SECTION 2.
(a) The department of
human services shall establish and administer a two-year infant and toddler
child care contracted slots pilot program.
(b) The
department of human services shall develop standards, policies, and procedures
to contract directly with child care providers to serve families receiving Child
Care Connection Hawaii subsidies for the pilot program established in
subsection (a). The pilot program shall
provide, at a minimum:
(1) Infant and toddler slots in licensed infant
and toddler child care centers or registered family child care homes;
(2) At least one hundred slots; provided that at
least one slot is contracted for each of the islands of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai,
Maui, and Hawaii; and
(3) Contracts with child care providers of at
least two years' duration.
(c) The department of human services may contract
with a service provider in accordance with chapter 103D, Hawaii Revised
Statutes, to administer the infant and toddler child care contracted slots
pilot program.
(d) The department of human services shall
submit annual reports on the development and administration of the pilot
program established in subsection (a), including families' satisfaction and
impacts to child care providers' stability, and any proposed legislation, to
the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular
sessions of 2024, 2025, and 2026.
(e) The department of human services shall
submit a final report on the pilot program established in subsection (a),
including families' satisfaction and impacts to child care providers'
stability, and any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than
twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2027.
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 for the infant and toddler child care contracted slots pilot program established pursuant to section 2 of this Act.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2023, and shall repeal on June 30, 2027.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Child Care; Contracted Slots; Infants; Toddlers; Pilot Program; Child Care Connection Hawaii; Subsidies; Department of Human Services; Appropriation
Description:
Requires the Department of Human Services to establish and administer a two-year Infant and Toddler Child Care Contracted Slots Pilot Program. Requires annual reports on the pilot program's development and administration to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Repeals 6/30/2027.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.