Legislation that will expand child care and early learning opportunities for Hawaii’s keiki has been approved by the state Legislature and is now before Gov. David Ige for approval.
House Bill 2543 is part of a package of bills introduced in January — prior to the COVID-19 pandemic — that aimed to tackle critical economic issues that have long-plagued Hawaii’s residents: income inequality, affordable housing and early education.
According to the legislation, the bill aims to expand the capacity, resources and affordability of child care facilities licensed by the state Department of Human Services to increase affordable and accessible child care choices for families — including those in financial need and in lesser-served areas of the state — as well as expand early learning and public pre-kindergarten opportunities, among other actions.
Among other components, the bill calls for the state’s school readiness program — the Preschool Open Doors program — to be expanded to serve 3- and 4-year-old children in the two years prior to entering kindergarten, depending on the availability of funds.
The legislation also will give administrative authority of state-funded early learning programs and private partnership programs in charter schools to the state Public Charter School Commission, and allow early learning classrooms to be established on public library property.
Additionally, the legislation will mandate the state Department of Education and public charter schools assess all students entering kindergarten and require parents or guardians to disclose information of any early learning programs the student might have attended the previous year.
State Rep. Joy San Buenaventura of Puna said she was glad the Legislature passed the measure because child care is one of the biggest expenses for ALICE — asset limited, income constrained, employed — families, “and by being able to pass that we are able to provide them with child care with an educational component.”
A spokeswoman for Ige said bills before the governor currently are undergoing legal and departmental review.
The governor
has until Aug. 31 to notify the Legislature of any bill he intends to veto.
Email Stephanie Salmons at ssalmons@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
