HB 238 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO EARLY CHILD CARE.

Summary

Requires the Department of Human Services to establish and implement a Child Care Provider Subsidy and Bonus Program to provide subsidies to retain the existing child care workforce in licensed infant and toddler child care centers, group child care centers, and group child care homes and bonuses to registered family child care homes. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB238 → HB238_HD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to remove references to 'centers' from the list of eligible providers, clarifying that only family child care homes and group homes qualify for bonuses. Additionally, the effective date of the law was drastically changed from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 3000, and administrative metadata regarding the bill's version and tracking numbers were updated.

Scope change

The scope of eligibility for the bonus portion of the program was narrowed by removing 'centers' from the list of qualifying providers.

ELIGIBILITY

Removed 'centers' from the definition of eligible providers for the bonus program, limiting bonuses to family child care homes and group homes.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date of the Act from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 3000.

TECHNICAL

Updated internal bill tracking numbers, version history, and administrative metadata.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 5, 2025

Committee

Reported from HSH (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 154) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Jan 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Olds, Amato, Chun, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Takayama, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to HSH, FIN, referral sheet 1

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 16, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

18 primary · 0 co-sponsors