STAND. COM. REP. NO. 888-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2227

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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2227, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Expand the existing state exemption for United States Department of Defense-certified child care providers to those operating off federal property; and

(2) Require Department of Defense-certified child care facilities with clients who are not children of enlisted families or who receive a child care subsidy from the Department of Human Services to have a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the United States Department of Defense; Hawaii Military Affairs Council; and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that United States Department of Defense family child care providers are certified via the military departments and are the largest contributor to the military services' ability to deliver child care needs. However, your Committee further finds that the state licensure and registration requirements are duplicative of the certification the providers receive from the military services. By exempting the providers from the state licensure and registration requirements, this measure would allow providers to provide child care services without further delay and improve the quality of life and economic security for providers and families.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2227, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2227, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair