STAND. COM. REP. NO. 502-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2019

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2019 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EARLY LEARNING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Executive Office on Early Learning to administer funding for family-child interaction learning programs.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Early Learning Board; Executive Office on Early Learning; Office of the Mayor of the County of Kauaʻi; Department of Community Services of the City and County of Honolulu; Commit to Keiki; Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!; Early Childhood Action Strategy; Keiki O Ka ʻĀina Family Learning Centers; Partners in Development Foundation; Association for Infant Mental Health Hawaii; PATCH; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee finds that family-child interaction learning programs offer high-quality early childhood education and parent education, benefiting children's development and school readiness while equipping parents and caregivers with the knowledge and skills to support their children's education and health family dynamics. These programs foster positive childhood experiences, which are linked to improved long-term health and well-being. Your Committee notes that proposed federal funding cuts would reduce available family-child interaction learning programs from sixty-four to three, negatively impacting local families and eliminating nearly one hundred twenty early childhood educator positions. Your Committee believes that the funding provided by this measure will sustain the number of family-child interaction learning programs in Hawaii.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2019, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2019, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair