STAND. COM. REP. NO. 130-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1872

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committees on Higher Education and Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1872 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AN EARLY LEARNING APPRENTICESHIP GRANT PROGRAM,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish an Early Learning Apprenticeship Grant Program to be administered by the University of Hawaii to provide financial support for early learning program service providers in the State to participate in state- or federally-approved early learning apprenticeship programs.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services; Board of Education; Executive Office on Early Learning; Early Learning Board; Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women; Department of Community Services, City and County of Honolulu; Department of Research and Development, County of Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Association of Independent Schools; Association for Infant Mental Health in Hawaiʻi; Commit to Keiki; Early Childhood Action Strategy; Chamber of Commerce Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!; YMCA of Honolulu; Parents for Public Schools of Hawaiʻi; Family Promise of Hawaiʻi; Keiki O Ka ʻĀina Family Learning Centers; and numerous individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi System.

Your Committees find that Hawaii faces a critical shortage of qualified early learning professionals, which limits access to high‑quality early learning opportunities and strains working families who rely on stable childcare to sustain employment. Your Committees further find that registered apprenticeship programs offer a proven, workforce development pathway to recruit, train, and retain early learning educators, but many providers struggle to participate due to the financial burden of meeting wage and training requirements. This measure establishes a grant program to support early learning program service providers in covering apprenticeship related costs.

Your Committees have amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Higher Education and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1872, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1872, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Labor.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Higher Education and Education,

____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair

____________________________ ANDREW TAKUYA GARRETT, Chair