STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1042

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 222

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Military Affairs and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 222 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PRESCHOOLS OPEN DOORS PROGRAM,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Preschool Open Doors Program.

Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by Good Beginnings Alliance, American Academy of Pediatrics-Hawaii Chapter, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii Business Roundtable, Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture, Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters, and twenty individuals. Comments were received from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committees find that the Preschool Open Doors Program has proven to be a valuable early education tool as research has shown that the early years of a child are the most crucial in a child's development. Improving the quality of education is an increasing priority for young children in order to be prepared for school. Currently, only fifty-two percent of children under the age of five in Hawaii attend preschool. While low-income families are unable to afford quality preschool education, this measure would assist in providing this much-needed service.

Upon further consideration, your Committees have amended this measure by amending the amount of the appropriation to $6,000,000.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Military Affairs and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 222, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 222, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

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NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair