STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3207
Honolulu, Hawaii
H.D. 2
S.D. 1
President of the Senate
Thirty-Second State Legislature
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1964, H.D. 2, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EARLY CHILD CARE,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to:
(1) Require 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;
(2) Require annual reports to the Legislature; and
(3) Appropriate funds.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi College of Education; Executive Office on Early Learning; Early Learning Board; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; County of Hawaiʻi Department of Research and Development; Hui for Excellence in Education; Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!; Holomua Collaborative; HPM Building Supply; Title Guaranty of Hawaiʻi; Mana Up; aio; Early Childhood Action Strategy; AAUW of Hawaii; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; Hawaiʻi State Coalition Against Domestic Violence; Aloha United Way; Parents And Children Together; Chamber of Sustainable Commerce; Fujiwara and Rosenbaum, LLLC; Save Medicaid Hawaii; Commit to Keiki; Hawaiʻi Association for the Education of Young Children; Hawaiʻi Women Lawyers; Women's Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; and twenty-six individuals.
Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.
Your Committee finds that the State is experiencing a chronic shortage of highly qualified educators, including early childhood teachers and personnel. Additionally, the State's high cost of living creates an additional financial burden on early childhood education workers. Your Committee further finds that higher compensation is an effective way to enhance recruitment and retention of a qualified early learning workforce. Accordingly, this measure alleviates a portion of the financial burden for early childhood educators to ensure retention of talented, qualified personnel.
Your
Committee has amended this measure by deleting language that would have
authorized a childcare provider exempt from licensing and registration approved
by the Department of Human Services to qualify for the child care provider
subsidy and bonus program.
Your Committee notes that this measure contains an unspecified appropriation amount. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider inserting appropriation amounts for fiscal year 2024-2025, as follows, pursuant to testimony your Committee received from the Department of Human Services:
(1) $19,300,000 in general fund appropriations or non-federal funds to implement the Child Care Provider Subsidy and Bonus Program; and
(2) $100,000 for the establishment of one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) program specialist position to carry out the implementation and monitoring of the program.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1964, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1964, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,
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________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair |
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