HB249 • 2026

RELATING TO EARLY LEARNING.

Budget Children Education

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: MARTEN, CHUN, GRANDINETTI, HOLT, IWAMOTO, KITAGAWA, LA CHICA, LAMOSAO, MATAYOSHI, MATSUMOTO, OLDS, PERRUSO, POEPOE, SAYAMA, TODD
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details about the amount of funding or the number of families that will be affected.

Funding for Family-Child Interaction Programs

This bill provides funding to the Executive Office on Early Learning so they can contract with outside groups to offer family-child interaction learning programs.

What This Bill Does

Appropriates funds from the state budget to support family-child interaction learning programs.
The funds will be used by the Executive Office on Early Learning to hire other organizations that run these programs.

Who It Names or Affects

Children from birth to age five who participate in family-child interaction learning programs.
Parents or caregivers of young children who receive training and support through these programs.
The Executive Office on Early Learning, which will manage the funding and contracts with providers.

Terms To Know

Family-child Interaction Learning Programs: Programs that help families learn how to better care for their young children at home through education and support services.
Executive Office on Early Learning: The state agency responsible for overseeing early childhood learning initiatives in Hawaii.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the exact amount of funding to be provided.
It is unclear how many families will benefit from these programs once they are funded and implemented.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment allocates money from the state budget to help families with young children by funding programs that teach both kids and their parents important skills.

The bill now includes an appropriation of funds for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to support family-child interaction learning programs.

The exact amount of money appropriated is not specified in the amendment text.
The effective date listed (July 1, 3000) seems incorrect or symbolic and needs clarification.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-10 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Belatti, Cochran, Kila, Ward excused (4).
2025-02-10 H
Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 280) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2025-02-04 H
The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 11 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Sayama, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2025-01-31 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Tuesday, 02-04-25 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to EDN, FIN, referral sheet 1
2025-01-17 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-16 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO EARLY LEARNING.
Family-child Interaction Learning Programs; Executive Office on Early Learning; Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health; Appropriation ($)
Appropriates funds for the Executive Office on Early Learning to contract with third-party providers of family-child interaction learning programs. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB249

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

249

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to early learning
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that
family-child interaction learning programs provide children from birth to age
five with engaging, literacy-rich early learning environments that foster
social and emotional development and support school readiness.
�
Family-child interaction learning programs
include two main components:
�
high-quality
early childhood learning and parent education, which equips parents and
caregivers with the knowledge and skills to support their children's education
and healthy family dynamics.
�
Additionally, family-child interaction
learning programs employ multi-generational, culturally responsive approaches and
typically work with families who choose to have their children cared for by a
parent, grandparent, or other family caregiver, rather than utilizing
center-based child care options.

����
The
legislature further finds that family-child interaction learning programs are
uniquely positioned to improve early detection of developmental delays, expand
access to infant and early childhood mental health services, and connect
families with a wide variety of social services.

����
The
purpose of this Act is to expand the availability of family-child interaction
learning programs in the State by appropriating funds to the executive office
on early learning to contract with third-party providers of family-child
interaction learning programs.

����
SECTION
2.
�
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 2025-2026 and the same sum or so
much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the executive
office on early learning to contract with third-party providers of family-child
interaction learning programs, which include but are not limited to the
delivery of infant and early childhood mental health consultations and related
services.

����
The sums

appropriated shall be expended by the executive
office on early learning for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Family-child
Interaction Learning Programs; Executive Office on Early Learning; Infant and
Early Childhood Mental Health; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates
funds
for the Executive Office on Early Learning to contract with third-party
providers of family-child interaction learning programs.

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