STAND. COM. REP. NO. 984-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1964

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1964, 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 and appropriate funds for the Department of Human Services to establish and implement a Child Care Provider Subsidy and Bonus Program to provide subsidies to retain the existing child care workforce in licensed infant and toddler child care centers, group child care centers, and group child care homes and bonuses to registered family child care homes; and

(2) Appropriate funds for a program specialist to carry out the implementation and monitoring of the Child Care Provider Subsidy and Bonus Program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Executive Office on Early Learning; Department of Research and Development of the County of Hawai‘i; Hawai‘i Children's Action Network Speaks!; American Association of University Women of Hawaii; Early Childhood Action Strategy; Hui for Excellence in Education; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; Mana Up; Title Guaranty of Hawai‘i; HPM Building Supply; Hawai‘i Association for the Education of Young Children; Holomua Collaborative; aio; Chamber of Sustainable Commerce; Save Medicaid Hawaii; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa College of Education.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the minimum hourly subsidy rate for child care workers to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the minimum annual bonus for family child care homes to an unspecified amount; and

(3) Changing the number of full-time equivalent positions established by this measure to an unspecified number.

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. 1964, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1964, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair