STAND. COM. REP. NO. 786-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: H.B. No. 3237

H.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 3237, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to determine methods of improving access to early childhood education by establishing the Early Learning Working Group (Working Group) to:

(1) Develop plans and timelines for an early learning system that maximizes public and private resources to provide early learning opportunities for children who are four years old by January 1 of the school year;

(2) Make other recommendations for the early learning system; and

(3) Submit reports of its progress, findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation to the Governor and Legislature.

This bill also appropriates $250,000 for fiscal year 2006-2007 for the operations of the Working Group.

The University of Hawaii, Hawaii Educational Policy Center, Hawaii Family Support Institute, Hawaii Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Childcare Business Coalition, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill. The Department of Human Services, Waikiki Community Center, Kama'aina Kids, Inc., INPEACE, Waianae Coast Early Childhood Services, and KCAA Preschools of Hawaii supported the intent of this measure. The Good Beginnings Alliance supported this bill with amendments. The Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, Hawaii Association for the Education of Young Children, and a concerned individual opposed this measure in its current form. The Department of Education offered comments.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 3237, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 3237, H.D. 2.

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

 

____________________________

DWIGHT TAKAMINE, Chair