Report Title:

Pre-Plus Program; Child Care; Early Education

Description:

Establishes the Pre-Plus early childhood education program within the department of human services; provides budget authorization for $60,000 for one federally-funded program support position for FY 2003-2004. (SD1)

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1584

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO CHILD CARE.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that there are approximately 31,000 Hawaii children between the ages of three and four, and approximately 15,000 of these children are from low-income households. Of these households, less than fifty per cent receive some form of government assistance. The legislature further finds that both federal and state-funded early childhood education programs have shown that quality early education services are especially critical for children from lower income households to succeed. The legislature further finds that the State's Pre-Plus public-private early childhood education initiative has proven to be a successful model to provide early education for this target group of children.

The purpose of this Act is to statutorily establish the Pre-Plus early childhood education program under the department of human services, and to provide budget authorization of $60,000 for one federally-funded program support position within the department.

SECTION 2. Chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to Part VIII to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§346- Pre-Plus early childhood education program. (a) The department and appropriate county agencies may establish and regulate early childhood education programs for children ages three to five at public school facilities; provided that enrollment shall first be offered to families whose income falls at or below two hundred per cent of the federal poverty index and whose children are not enrolled in an early childhood education program. In addition to any appropriation of public funds, reasonable fees established by the agencies operating the programs may be collected for the costs of the services provided to the enrolled children.

(b) The appropriate agencies may obtain, from time to time, the services of persons in a voluntary or unpaid capacity, exempt from chapters 76 and 89, as may be necessary for carrying out the purposes of this section, and may regulate their duties, powers, and responsibilities when not otherwise provided by law. Any person whose services have been so accepted, while engaged in the performance of duty under this section, shall be deemed a state employee or an employee of a political subdivision, as the case may be, in determining the liability of the State or the political subdivision for the negligent acts of these persons."

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the federal revenues received by the department of human services for HMS 302, the sum of $60,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, for one federally-funded program support position within the department of human services for the Pre-Plus program.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval, provided that section 3 shall take effect on July 1, 2003.