STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1888

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

 

RE:   S.B. No. 613

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 613, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to improve early childhood education in the state by:

 

     (1)  Improving the junior kindergarten program;

 

     (2)  Promoting the training and professional development of early childhood educators;

 

     (3)  Increasing the availability of facilities for early childhood education programs; and

 

     (4)  Appropriating funds for these purposes.

 

     A concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  The Good Beginnings Alliance and Early Learning Educational Task Force supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Education (DOE) did not support this bill.  The Hawaii Down Syndrome Congress offered comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that the Department of Human Services is required to submit annual reports to DOE regarding its inspection of early childhood education facilities;

 

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

 

     (3)  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 S.B. No. 613, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 613, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair