Hawaii House Bill HR123

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/16/26
• Refer: 3/18/26

Caption

Urging State Departments And Agencies To Include Dedicated Day Care Facilities For Adults And Children When Designing State Buildings That Will Employ Or House Two Hundred Fifty Or More Persons.

Summary

H.R. 123 is a House Resolution urging Hawaii state departments and agencies to include dedicated day care facilities for both children and adults when planning new state buildings that will employ or house 250 or more people. The resolution also encourages agencies to consider partnerships with licensed childcare and adult day care providers so services can be operated within state facilities, and to integrate dedicated care spaces into capital improvement and facility planning projects when feasible. The measure is framed as a response to Hawaii’s high childcare costs, limited licensed childcare capacity, workforce shortages in early childhood education, and the state’s aging population. It emphasizes that locating care near workplaces could improve employee productivity, reduce absenteeism, and support recruitment and retention in the public workforce. The resolution is advisory rather than regulatory: it does not create a mandate or establish a new licensing program, but instead expresses legislative intent and directs copies to a broad set of state officials and agencies for consideration.

Impact

Because HR 123 is a resolution, it does not directly amend Hawaii statutes or impose enforceable legal requirements. Its practical impact would be to influence state facility planning, capital improvement decisions, and interagency coordination by encouraging the inclusion of childcare and adult day care space in qualifying state buildings. If adopted and acted upon, it could affect state agencies, public works planners, and potential licensed providers by creating opportunities for on-site care services in government facilities.

Sentiment

The overall sentiment reflected in the bill text is strongly supportive of expanding access to childcare and adult day care, with the resolution presenting these services as important workforce and family-support infrastructure. No committee transcripts or vote records were provided, so there is no recorded debate or formal vote history to indicate opposition or amendments. Based on the measure’s findings and framing, the bill appears to have been introduced in a favorable, policy-advocacy posture.

Contention

The main points of potential contention are practical rather than ideological: cost, feasibility, space constraints, and whether state agencies should prioritize dedicated care facilities in building design. Agencies responsible for capital projects may question the expense of adding such spaces, the availability of licensed operators, liability and regulatory issues, and whether the 250-person threshold is appropriate. Because the resolution is nonbinding, any disagreement would likely center on implementation and resource allocation rather than the legal authority of the measure itself.