STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1211-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.R. No. 63
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Education,
to which was referred H.R. No. 63 entitled: 

     "HOUSE RESOLUTION EXPEDITING THE FINAL PLANNING AND
     IMPLEMENTATION OF ACT 367, SESSION LAWS OF HAWAII, 1989,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this resolution is to follow-up on a plan for
quality voluntary early childhood education and care by urging
the Department of Education (DOE) to proceed with all speed in
the final planning and implementation of Act 367, Session Laws of
Hawaii (SLH) 1989.

     DOE submitted comments.

     Over ten years ago, Act 367, SLH 1989, required DOE to
develop a plan for quality voluntary early childhood education
and care that should have been fully implemented and available
statewide to all eligible children no later than January 1, 2000.
The deadline has now passed with neither the required
implementation nor any explanation from DOE.

     Your Committees note that the Good Beginnings Alliance
(GBA), a critical link for early childhood education and care
efforts and a focal point for policy development, disbursement of
public funds, and implementation of early childhood community
plans, was not in existence when Act 367, SLH 1989, was
effectuated.  With the establishment of GBA, your Committees

 
 
 
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believe that DOE can work collaboratively to better follow
through with this legislative request.
     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requesting DOE to collaborate with GBA and the Hawaii
          Association for the Education of Young Children (HAEYC)
          to submit a status report of efforts to implement all
          of the requirements of Act 367, SLH 1989;

     (2)  Requiring that copies of the resolution be transmitted
          to the Executive Directors of GBA and HAEYC; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for
          purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Human Services and Housing and Education that are
attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent
and purpose of H.R. No. 63, as amended herein, and recommend that
it be referred to the Committee on Finance, in the form attached
hereto as H.R. No. 63, H.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committees on Human Services
                                   and Housing and Education,

                                   
                                   
                                   
                                   
______________________________     ______________________________
KEN ITO, Chair                     DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair