Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, serving as acting governor, on Monday signed into law Act 203, a major expansion of the state’s Preschool Open Doors tuition subsidy program.
The new law — formerly House Bill 692 — takes effect on Jan. 1, 2026 and expands eligibility to include 2-year-olds and removes burdensome accreditation requirements for child care providers, reducing barriers and increasing child care capacity across Hawaii.
Administered by the state’s Department of Human Services, POD provides monthly child care and preschool tuition subsidies to qualifying low- to middle-income families.
According to a press release, this legislation marks another milestone in the state’s Ready Keiki plan, led by Luke, to ensure universal access to early learning by 2032.
In addition to the legislation, Luke signed updated administrative rules that further expand access to Preschool Open Doors. These changes take effect June 27 — just in time for the open enrollment period starting July 1.
“We know that far too many working families fall into the gap — they earn too much to qualify for help but still struggle to afford quality child care. For the first time, a family of four making about $180,000 can qualify for Preschool Open Doors,” Luke said. “This expansion directly addresses that gap and brings us closer to our goal of making early learning truly accessible for all Hawaii families.”
Because Act 203 allows DHS to make co-payments optional, some qualifying families may receive full tuition subsidies. The bill also allows DHS to adopt year-round first-come, first-served enrollment and removes the accreditation requirement for providers, which can be costly, time-consuming and require frequent renewals.
The updates to the administrative rules raise income eligibility to 500% of the federal poverty level, meaning that a family of four earning up to $184,896, for example, is now eligible.
The updated rules also grant presumptive eligibility for families experiencing homelessness or domestic violence by providing temporary support for up to two months while documentation is gathered. Finally, the administrative rule changes cap co-payments at 3% of income, or a maximum of $45 per month.
These updates build on a series of recent improvements to the POD program. In January 2024, new rules extended eligibility to 3-year-olds, increased income thresholds, and reduced co-pays.
In July 2024, the program moved to a
year-round application with designated priority and open enrollment periods, making it easier for families to apply when they’re ready.
On Monday Luke also signed into law Act 204 (House Bill 329), which clarifies the responsibilities of the School Facilities Authority, and Act 205 (Senate Bill 423), which adds the president of the Head Start Association of Hawaii to the state’s Early Learning Board.
DHS will begin accepting applications for the next Preschool Open Doors open enrollment period starting July 1.
Interested families may apply online at childcaresubsidyapplication.dhs.hawaii.gov. Families can also request an application from PATCH, which can also help families find a preschool that meets their needs, by visiting patchhawaii.org, calling (808) 791-2130, or toll-free at (800) 746-5620.
