Bill Text: HI HB732 | 2015 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii House Bill 732 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: After-School Plus (A+) Program; Appropriation ($)

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-01-28 - Referred to EDN, FIN, referral sheet 2 [HB732 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2015-HB732-Introduced.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	732
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

making an appropriation to support the after-school plus program.

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that in the United States, more than one-fourth of school-age children are left alone and unsupervised during afterschool hours. The majority of these children are elementary and intermediate school students who are at an age at which they may be vulnerable to outside vices.

The legislature also finds that children are awake approximately six thousand hours per year, but spend only one thousand hours per year in the classroom. Therefore, the effective use of out-of-school hours is an important development opportunity for children.

The legislature further finds that the after-school plus (A+) program was created in 1989 to provide an avenue for keeping children in a safe and nurturing environment during the time when school is over until they are in the complete care of their families. Moreover, the legislature finds that the after-school plus (A+) program has been operating successfully for the past decade and a half, with upwards of twenty thousand elementary school children enrolled in the program in more than one hundred and eighty elementary schools statewide.

The legislature finds that funding for the after-school plus (A+) program has been achieved through three primary sources: legislative appropriations through the department of education; participation subsidies provided through the department of human services for children who are eligible for assistance through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program; and monthly tuition contributions by parents of children who do not qualify for subsidy assistance. When the program was established in 1989-1990, the total budget for the after-school plus (A+) program was $15,600,000.

The legislature also finds that during the state financial crisis of 2008-2009, the after-school plus (A+) program support consisted of $1,957,213 from legislative appropriations to the department of education, nearly $7,000,000 through department of human services subsidies, and family tuition contributions. However, by 2011-2012, no money was appropriated to the department of education to support the after-school plus (A+) program; the program was solely supported through department of human services subsidies and family tuition contributions. For families that do not qualify for a subsidy, the tuition payments for after-school plus (A+) program participation have risen from $25 per child per month in 1989-1990 to $85 per child per month in 2010-2011.

Further, the legislature finds that while the after-school plus (A+) program remains an important and viable after school alternative for thousands of elementary school children statewide, operating costs will increase dramatically in 2015 due to the implementation of minimum wage increases that affect after-school plus (A+) program staff stipends. In addition, the legislature finds that there is significant need for after-school plus (A+) program improvement.

The purpose of this Act is to increase the amount of funding the legislature provides to the after-school plus (A+) program to the department of education to:

(1) Enhance oversight and administration of the after-school plus (A+) program by developing and implementing professional training for program staff and an evaluation system;

(2) Enhance and improve the content of the after-school plus (A+) program; and

(3) Alleviate the tuition burden on families of children participating in the after-school plus (A+) program.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $6,000,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015-2016 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 to support the after-school plus (A+) program by enhancing and improving the content of after-school (A+) programs, developing and implementing a professional development training for program staff and an evaluation system, and alleviating the financial burden of families whose children attend these programs.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2015.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

After-School Plus (A+) Program; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates moneys for the After-School Plus (A+) Program.

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