State Policy
Bill Tracking: Weekly Update for bills
3/14/2016
Bill Tracking: Weekly Update for bills
2/22/2016
Bill Tracking: Weekly Update for bills
2/11/2016
2016 HAEYC Bills
Below is a comprehensive list of upcoming bills at the state level.
Whether you’re a family member, early childhood student or early childhood professional, please share your stories this legislation session of how early childhood education has made a difference in your keiki’s life. You can either email your stories to kmurphy@hawaiiaeyc.org or use one of the forms below and mail it in. Mahalo Nui for your support!
Families
Early Childhood Students
Early Childhood Professionals
The primary role of the state public policy chair is to ensure that the state AEYC Governing Board, state Public Policy Committee, local public policy chairs, and all members are effective public policy advocates. In this case, “effective public policy advocacy” means that NAEYC members will have:
- awareness of;
- knowledge about;
- the ability to competently discuss and debate; and
- the capacity to act in ways that influence decisions on public policy at all levels (national, state and local) aligned with Association goals.
Public Policy Update
April 20, 2013
The Legislature’s session is rapidly coming to a close and there have been significant events this week around early childhood. At this point, things continue to change on a daily, sometimes hourly basis, so keep your ears open!
HAEYC has consistently supported the three bills that the Executive Office of Early Learning (EOEL) and the Governor had introduced: School Readiness, Constitutional Amendment, and Early Learning.
School Readiness: On Wednesday, April 17, the big change was that the Governor requested that the program be run by Dept. of Human Services (DHS) rather than the EOEL. HAEYC will support DHS and will continue to advocate for licensing by DHS as an important first step to quality. This is the program for the children born August – December 2009 that would need to be implemented in July 2014.
Constitutional Amendment (Con-Am): Will be voted on by the entire Legislature this week. This bill is crucial, as it will allow public/private partnerships to provide early childhood programs and services. It is also important in upcoming federal efforts by President Obama to provide federal funding for high quality early childhood programs.
Early Learning: this is the program that would be implemented after the Con-Am is passed and the amendment passes the voters in November 2014. The bill includes language about quality programs.
Budget: The state budget bill is in conference committee, and we await the result. None of the above programs can be initiated without a boost in funding.
While the bills aren’t perfect, HAEYC supports the Governor’s initiative to support our keiki and their ‘ohana. He is the first Governor to propose significant funding for early childhood development and learning.
Public Policy and Education Committee Report to Hawaii AEYC Statewide Board
May 13, 2010
Committee Members:
- Wayna Buch, Oahu Chapter
- Kathy Murphy, Executive Director
- Shelley Ng, Chair
- Melissa Pavlicek, Hawaii Public Policy Advocates LLC
- Pamela Perkins, Hawaii Chapter
- Frank Ranger, Kauai Chapter
- Brooke Rehmann, Co-Chair
- Elaine Yamashita, Advisor/Maui Chapter
Update on 2010 Policy Activities:
- Two versions of letters are being sent to legislators. One version will go to House and Senate education committee members who, presumably, championed early education issues over the recent legislative session. Another will go out to the rest of the House and Senate. Both will thank and congratulate them for doing their best during one of the toughest budget sessions.
- The committee is planning a gubernatorial candidates’ forum, in lieu of a keynote speaker, at the upcoming Leadership Symposium in the fall. A letter has been drafted and sent to the candidates.
- Veteran forum organizer Elaine Yamashita, of Maui Chapter, and Hawaii AEYC’s policy consultant Melissa Pavlicek, will assist with the forum agenda and questions.
- We are looking for a skilled moderator.
- The committee is encouraging island chapters to host their own candidates’ forum or candidates’ tour of an early childhood program. Island representatives are taking this back to their chapters for decision.
- The committee is revising the policy awareness survey that was tested two years ago at the annual conference in preparation for surveying the Hawaii state membership on policy and workforce development issues. Dissemination will likely be a combination of posting the survey on the website, emailing a link to the survey on SurveyMonkey.com, and mailing out a paper version of the survey to members who do not have an email address. The survey results will form the basis for developing a policy agenda that is now being required by NAEYC.
- The policy committee has requested from the executive committee that time be allocated at a future statewide board meeting to decorate piggy banks that will bear the new Hawaii AEYC logo and child-like art. The banks will be distributed to legislators before the 2011 session, with a message about “investing for Hawaii’s future.” Staff is in the process of purchasing these piggy banks.
- The committee is still committed to finishing the “Stories” project that will feature video-recorded panel discussions of the island chapters, specifically, Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai.
Respectfully submitted, Shelley Ng Vice President, Policy and Education Committee
+HI S 2068
AUTHOR: Chun Oakland [D]
COAUTHOR(S): Fukunaga [D], Ihara [D], Ige [D], Kidani [D]
TITLE: Early Education
INTRODUCED: 01/20/2010
LAST AMEND: 03/19/2010
LOCATION: Conference Committee
SUMMARY: Amends the age requirement for entrance into public school kindergarten. Requires the department of education and early learning council to develop a plan to assess public junior kindergarten programs. (CD1)
STATUS: 05/03/2010 Enrolled to Governor.
+HI S 2121
AUTHOR: Sakamoto [D]
COAUTHOR(S): Chun Oakland [D], Tsutsui [D], Galuteria [D], Kidani [D]
TITLE: Early Learning Council
INTRODUCED: 01/20/2010
LOCATION: To Governor
SUMMARY: Allows the early learning council to conduct meetings by teleconference. Sets out quorum requirements and public notice and participation requirements for teleconference meetings.
STATUS: 04/28/2010 Became law without the Governor’s signature, Act 063, 4/28/2010, (Gov. Msg. No. 526).
+HI S 2122
AUTHOR: Sakamoto [D]
COAUTHOR(S): Chun Oakland [D], Tsutsui [D], Galuteria [D], Kidani [D]
TITLE: Education and Workforce Improvement Research
INTRODUCED: 01/20/2010
LAST AMEND: 02/26/2010
ENACTED: 04/20/2010
LOCATION: Chaptered
ACT: 41
SUMMARY: Requires the DOE, UH, DLIR, and other appropriate state agencies to share data to support research that will improve educational and workforce outcomes and meet the longitudinal data requirements of the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Establishes a data governance and access committee. (SD1)
STATUS: 04/20/2010 Signed by GOVERNOR. 04/20/2010 Act No. 41
+HI S 2124
AUTHOR: Tokuda [D]
COAUTHOR(S): Espero [D], Galuteria [D], Gabbard [D], Nishihara [D], Hee [D], Tsutsui [D], Hooser [D], Baker [D], English [D], Ige [D], Kokubun [D], Taniguchi [D], Ihara [D], Chun Oakland [D], Bunda [D], Sakamoto [D], Fukunaga [D], Kidani [D]
TITLE: Hurricane Relief Fund
INTRODUCED: 01/20/2010
LAST AMEND: 04/06/2010
LOCATION: Conference Committee
SUMMARY: Appropriates funds from the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund to restore instructional days for the 2010-2011 school year; provided that the moneys shall only be released upon completion of all negotiations of parties necessary to execute the restoration of instructional days pursuant to the collective bargaining process. Requires unexpended funds to lapse to the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund. (SB2124 CD1) ($)
STATUS: 05/25/2010 Act 143, 5/25/2010 (Gov. Msg. No. 601).
+HI S 2346
AUTHOR: Sakamoto [D]
TITLE: Hawaii Teacher Standards Board
INTRODUCED: 01/21/2010
LAST AMEND: 03/16/2010
LOCATION: Conference Committee
SUMMARY: Requires HTSB to include expenditure information in the annual report; determine if licensing fees shall be raised; develop a comprehensive plan for transferring nonessential functions and duties to other agencies; review its teacher license renewal process. Authorizes HTSB to delegate to its executive director powers and duties. Adds additional licensure renewal requirements and verification of meeting licensure renewal requirements. Requires DOE and HTSB to clarify their respective powers, duties, responsibilities. (CD1)
STATUS: 05/03/2010 Enrolled to Governor.
+HI S 2469
AUTHOR: Chun Oakland [D]
COAUTHOR(S): Ige [D], Baker [D], Hooser [D], Hee [D]
TITLE: Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund
INTRODUCED: 01/22/2010
LAST AMEND: 04/06/2010
LOCATION: Conference Committee
SUMMARY: Appropriates moneys from the emergency and budget reserve fund to maintain levels of programs for education, human services, and health. Effective July 1, 2010. (CD1) ($)
STATUS: 05/03/2010 Enrolled to Governor.
+HI S 2469
AUTHOR: Chun Oakland [D]
COAUTHOR(S): Ige [D]
TITLE: Statewide Program
INTRODUCED: 01/21/2010
LAST AMEND: 04/21/2010
ENACTED: 04/21/2010
LOCATION: Adopted
SUMMARY: Requests the establishment of a statewide program to plant one million trees by October 2010, as part of the children and youth month celebration.
STATUS: 04/21/2010 Report and Resolution Adopted, as amended (SD 1).