HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1716

TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to early learning.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  Section 302L-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:

     1.   By adding a new definition to be appropriately inserted and to read as follows:

     ""Commission" means the early learning commission established pursuant to this chapter."

     2.   By repealing the definition of "advisory board".

     [""Advisory board" means the early learning advisory board established pursuant to this chapter."]

     SECTION 2.  Section 302L-1.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

     "(b)  The head of the executive office on early learning shall be known as the director of the executive office on early learning, hereinafter referred to as director.  The director shall:

     (1)  Be appointed by the [governor;] commission;

     (2)  Have professional training in the field of social work, education, or other related fields;

     (3)  Have direct experience in programs or services related to early childhood education;

     (4)  Have recent experience in a supervisory, consultative, or administrative position;

     (5)  Be paid a salary set by the [governor] commission that shall not exceed ninety per cent of the salary of the director of human resources development; and

     (6)  Be included in any benefit program generally applicable to the officers and employees of the State."

     SECTION 3.  Section 302L-1.6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "[[]§302L-1.6[]]  Early learning [advisory board.] commission.  (a)  There is established an early learning [advisory board,] commission, whose members shall be appointed by the governor pursuant to section 26-34.  The [advisory board] commission shall be responsible for:

     (1)  [Advising] Directing the office on how best to meet the educational needs of children, from prenatal care to entry into kindergarten;

     (2)  [Providing recommendations to] Directing the office on improving the quality, availability, and coordination of early childhood care and education programs;

     (3)  Promoting collaboration across agencies and stakeholders serving young children; [and]

     (4)  [Being] Serving as an independent voice for children's health, safety, development, and learning[.]; and

     (5)  Appointing and dismissing the director of the executive office on early learning, who shall serve at the commission's pleasure.

     (b)  The [advisory board] commission shall consist of the following voting members:

     (1)  A representative of center-based program providers or the representative's designee;

     (2)  A representative of family child care program providers;

     (3)  A representative of family-child interaction learning program providers;

     (4)  A representative of philanthropic organizations that support early learning or the representative's designee;

     (5)  A representative from a head start provider agency;

     (6)  A representative from the Hawaii Early Intervention Coordinating Council;

     (7)  A parent representative;

     (8)  A representative from the Hawaii chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics;

     (9)  A representative of home-visiting program providers;

    (10)  A representative of Hawaiian medium early learning providers; and

    (11)  Two representatives of the Hawaii Council of Mayors or each representative's respective designee.

     The superintendent of education, director of human services, director of health, and president of the University of Hawaii shall serve as ex officio, voting members of the [advisory board.] commission.

     The [advisory board] commission shall invite the director of the Hawaii head start state collaboration office, the chief executive officer of Kamehameha Schools, and the executive director of the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, or their designees, to serve as voting members of the [advisory board.] commission.

     (c)  Except for the superintendent of education, directors of state departments, president of the University of Hawaii, director of the Hawaii head start state collaboration office, chief executive officer of Kamehameha Schools, and the executive director of the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, or their designees, the members of the [advisory board] commission shall serve staggered terms as follows:

     (1)  The representative of center-based program providers shall serve a two-year term;

     (2)  The representative of family child care program providers shall serve a three-year term;

     (3)  The representative of family-child interaction learning program providers shall serve a three-year term;

     (4)  The representative of philanthropic organizations that support early learning shall serve a two-year term;

     (5)  The representative from a head start provider agency shall serve a three-year term;

     (6)  The representative from the Hawaii Early Intervention Coordinating Council shall serve a three-year term;

     (7)  The parent representative shall serve a two-year term;

     (8)  The representative from the Hawaii chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics shall serve a two-year term;

     (9)  The representative of home-visiting program providers shall serve a three-year term;

    (10)  The representative of Hawaiian medium early learning providers shall serve a two-year term; and

    (11)  Of the two representatives of the Hawaii Council of Mayors, one shall serve a two-year term, and the other shall serve a three-year term as determined by the Hawaii Council of Mayors.

     (d)  The [advisory board] commission shall select a chairperson by a majority vote of its members; provided that the chairperson shall be a representative from the private sector.  A majority of the members serving on the [advisory board] commission shall constitute a quorum to conduct business.  The concurrence of the majority of the members serving on the [advisory board] commission shall be necessary to make any action of the [advisory board] commission valid.

     (e)  The [advisory board] commission may form workgroups and subcommittees, including with individuals who are not [advisory board] commission members, to:

     (1)  Obtain resource information from early learning professionals and other individuals as deemed necessary by the [advisory board;] commission;

     (2)  Make recommendations to the [advisory board;] commission; and

     (3)  Perform other functions as deemed necessary by the [advisory board] commission to fulfill its duties and responsibilities.

     Two or more [advisory board] commission members, but less than a quorum, may discuss matters relating to official [advisory board] commission business in the course of their participation in a workgroup or subcommittee, and such discussion shall be a permitted interaction as provided for in section 92-2.5.

     (f)  The [advisory board] commission may testify before the legislature on any matter related to its duties and responsibilities.

     (g)  Members of the [advisory board] commission shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties."

     SECTION 4.  Section 302L-3.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§302L-3.5  [Advisory board] Commission meetings by teleconference.  (a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the [advisory board] commission may meet by teleconference.

     (b)  Each member of the [advisory board] commission participating in a meeting by teleconference shall be considered present at the meeting for purposes of determining quorum and participating in all proceedings.

     (c)  A meeting by teleconference:

     (1)  Need not have a quorum present at any one location; and

     (2)  Is subject to the notice requirements applicable to other [advisory board] commission meetings.

     (d)  The notice of each teleconference meeting shall specify all physical locations from which members of the [advisory board] commission will participate.  The notice shall also specify the physical location from which the presiding officer of the [advisory board] commission will preside.  All physical teleconference locations shall be open to the public during the open portion of the meeting.

     (e)  [Advisory board] Commission materials that are to be considered at the meeting shall be made available at all physical teleconference locations.

     (f)  Each part of the teleconference meeting that is required to be open to the public shall be audible to the public at each physical location specified in the notice of the meeting.

     (g)  Except when voice votes are authorized, the vote shall be conducted in such a manner that the public may know the vote of each person entitled to vote.  The vote at a meeting held by teleconference shall be taken by roll call.

     (h)  The public shall be allowed to participate and speak at a meeting conducted by teleconference in the same manner and to the same extent that the public is allowed to participate and speak at each physical site of the meeting."

     SECTION 5.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2016.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

Early Learning Commission

 

Description:

Changes the Early Learning Advisory Board to the Early Learning Commission.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.