STAND. COM. REP. NO.  508

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   H.B. No. 875

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 875 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EXEMPTIONS FROM CHILD CARE LICENSING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to clarify and strengthen the law relating to exemptions from child care program licensing requirements.

 

     Specifically, the measure:

 

(1)  Clarifies that child care programs licensed or certified by the United States Department of Defense that are located on federal property are exempt from Department of Human Services child care licensing requirements; and

 

(2)  Requires child care programs licensed by the Hawaii Council of Private Schools to apply for and receive an exemption to the Department of Human Services child care licensing requirements.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Executive Office on Early Learning, and Hawaii Association of Independent Schools.

 

The Hawaii Association for the Education of Young Children submitted testimony in opposition to this measure.

 

     Your Committee finds that the schools and child care programs licensed or certified by the United States Department of Defense are located on federal property and are beyond the Department of Human Services' jurisdiction over child care facilities.  Requiring state licensing of these facilities presents an administrative burden that provides no significant protection to the public.

 

     Your Committee further finds that authorizing child care programs licensed by the Hawaii Council of Private Schools to apply for an exemption to the Department of Human Services child care licensing requirements, by demonstrating comparable or more stringent licensing standards, will ensure high quality programs for Hawaii's youth while increasing the efficiency of the Department of Human Services.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 875 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair