The Big News: 2023 Hawaii Legislature committed more than $1.2 billion in additional funds in 3 areas related to our client Commit to Keiki’s priorities!
1) Removing economic stressors for families ($820 million): Increasing tax credits to help working families, reducing homelessness, and increasing affordable housing.
2) Providing sufficient, culturally appropriate, quality child care and early learning services ($235 million): Expanding Preschool Open Doors subsidy program, creating charter school preschool classrooms, providing staff to operate more pre-k classrooms, kindergarten entry assessments, and building teacher housing.
3) Ensuring our youngest children can live a trauma-free life ($195 million): Enabling access to health care: Increasing Medicaid reimbursements, Child Wellness Incentive Pilot Program, and Hawaii State Loan Repayment Program for Healthcare Professionals. Addressing child abuse and neglect: Funding Child Protective Service contracts, foster board payments, sex trafficking victim support and the Family Resource Center Network.