Bill > SB56

This bill establishes a Child Care Center Pilot Program on the island of Oahu to address Hawaii's high child care costs and limited child care availability for state employees. The program will create two child care centers: one located in or near the state capitol building and another in Kapolei. These centers will serve eligible children, defined as those with a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or legal guardian who is a state employee, including full-time employees, appointed or elected officers, legislators, justices, and judges. The centers will provide full-time child care during weekdays, opening at least 30 minutes before the regular work day and closing no earlier than 30 minutes after work ends. The Department of Accounting and General Services will be responsible for establishing and operating the centers, and may select an operator through a competitive process. The centers can charge minimal fees to offset costs and may also accept children of non-state employees if space is available. The bill appropriates $500,000 for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to support the program, which is set to run from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2030, addressing the significant child care challenges in Hawaii, where the average annual cost of infant care ($22,585) exceeds in-state university tuition and where only 35,662 child care slots exist for an estimated 66,262 children under six years old.

Government Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=56&year=2026