Bill Text: HI SB312 | 2024 | Regular Session | Amended


Bill Title: Relating To Child Care Workers.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-12-11 - Carried over to 2024 Regular Session. [SB312 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2024-SB312-Amended.html

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

312

THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO CHILD CARE WORKERS.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that a strong child care and early education workforce is necessary to support Hawaii's children, working families, and communities.  The demand for quality child care and early education far exceeds the number of qualified child care and early education professionals currently available in the State, hindering efforts to maintain and expand quality, affordable child care and early education programs.

     The purpose of this Act is to establish, administer, and appropriate funds for a two-year child care worker subsidy pilot program to retain the existing early child care workforce in licensed infant and toddler centers.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  The department of human services shall establish and administer a two-year infant and toddler child care worker subsidy pilot program to retain the existing early child care workforce in licensed infant and toddler centers.

     (b)  The department of human services shall establish standards and qualifications for participation in the pilot program established in subsection (a); provided that participation shall be:

     (1)  Available to all lead caregivers, caregivers, and child care aides working in licensed infant and toddler centers;

     (2)  Prohibited to child care workers employed by the department of education, state public charter school commission, Early Head Start provider, or private educational institution; and

     (3)  Limited to child care workers working in licensed infant and toddler centers.

     (c)  The department of human services shall establish best practices to establish a minimum wage of $16.00 per hour for all pilot program participants.

     (d)  The department of human services may convene and consult community members to establish best practices, policies, and procedures regarding administering the pilot program, including but not limited to the development of salary schedules and educational requirements.

     (e)  The department of human services shall submit annual reports on the development and administration of the pilot program established in subsection (a), including impacts to infant and toddler child care center operators and staff, and any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular sessions of 2024, 2025, and 2026.

     (f)  The department of human services shall submit a final report on the pilot program established in subsection (a), including impacts to infant and toddler child care center operators and staff, and any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2027.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the infant and toddler child care worker subsidy pilot program established pursuant to section 2 of this Act.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on December 31, 2050.


 


 

Report Title:

Child Care Workers; Subsidies; Pilot Program; Infants; Toddlers; Centers; Department of Human Services; Appropriation

 

Description:

Requires the Department of Human Services to establish and administer a two-year Infant and Toddler Child Care Worker Subsidy Pilot Program.  Requires annual reports on the pilot program's development and administration to the Legislature.  Appropriates funds.  Effective 12/31/2050.  (SD1)

 

 

 

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

 

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