| 47 | | - | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that in the first quarter of fiscal year 2022-2023, more than fifteen thousand families with children under the age of thirteen received subsidies from the child care connection Hawaii program to help them afford child care services. The legislature further finds that child care center providers can be faced with disruptions in services and possible closure when their operating costs are funded by tuition fees because their revenues depend upon ever-changing enrollment figures rather than a stable source of funding. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to establish a child care classroom contracts pilot program to develop and implement procedures to subsidize child care by contracting for classrooms in licensed infant and toddler child care centers and group child care centers. SECTION 2. (a) The department of human services shall establish and implement a child care classroom contracts pilot program no later than July 1, 2026. (b) The department of human services shall contract directly with licensed infant and toddler child care center and group child care center providers that serve: (1) Children six weeks to five years of age; and (2) Families who are eligible for a federally funded child care subsidy through the department of human services; provided that a child care center shall not be eligible for a contract if the center is part of, owned by, or operated by a private educational institution and the awarding of the contract would violate article X, section 1, of the Hawaii State Constitution. (c) The pilot program shall meet the following requirements: (1) The pilot program shall provide contracts for at least one full classroom at one licensed infant and toddler child care center and one licensed group child care center per county; and (2) Contracts with child care center providers shall be a minimum of twelve months and may be extended for the length of the pilot period. (d) The department of human services shall monitor seat utilization and may adjust the number of contracted seats based on enrollment trends and provider performance; provided that: (1) Providers with consistently low utilization of contracted seats may be subject to contract modification or termination; and (2) The department may contract with a service provider in accordance with chapter 103F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to operate the child care classroom contracts pilot program. (e) The pilot program shall cease to exist on June 30, 2028. SECTION 3. (a) The department of human services shall submit annual interim reports on the development and implementation of the child care classroom contracts pilot program, including impacts to child care provider stability, family satisfaction, and any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular sessions of 2026, 2027, and 2028. (b) The department of human services shall submit a final report on the child care classroom contracts pilot program, including impacts to child care provider stability, family satisfaction, and any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2029. SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000. |
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| 47 | + | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that in the first quarter of fiscal year 2022-2023, more than fifteen thousand families with children under the age of thirteen received subsidies from the child care connection Hawaii program to help them afford child care services. The legislature further finds that child care center providers can be faced with disruptions in services and possible closure when their operating costs are funded by tuition fees because their revenues depend upon ever-changing enrollment figures rather than a stable source of funding. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to establish a child care classroom contracts pilot program to develop and implement procedures to subsidize child care by contracting for classrooms in licensed infant and toddler child care centers or group child care centers. SECTION 2. (a) The department of human services shall establish and implement a child care classroom contracts pilot program no later than July 1, 2026. (b) The department of human services shall contract directly with licensed infant and toddler child care center and group child care center providers that serve: (1) Children six weeks to five years of age; and (2) Families who are eligible for a federally funded child care subsidy through the department of human services. (c) The pilot program shall meet the following requirements: (1) The pilot program shall provide contracts for at least one full classroom at one licensed infant and toddler child care center and two licensed group child care centers per county; and (2) Contracts with child care center providers shall be a minimum of twelve months and may be extended for the length of the pilot period. (d) The department of human services may contract with a service provider in accordance with chapter 103F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to operate the child care classroom contracts pilot program. (e) The pilot program shall cease to exist on June 30, 2028. SECTION 3. (a) The department of human services shall submit annual interim reports on the development and implementation of the child care classroom contracts pilot program, including impacts to child care provider stability, family satisfaction, and any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular sessions of 2026, 2027, and 2028. (b) The department of human services shall submit a final report on the child care classroom contracts pilot program, including impacts to child care provider stability, family satisfaction, and any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2029. SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________ |
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