Hawaii lawmakers deferred decision-making on three bills that would cement the governor’s broad early education initiative.

The program is ultimately geared at providing publicly funded preschool to the state’s roughly 18,000 4-year-olds. 

The high price tag has become a concern though. Abercrombie had budgeted $32.5 million to get the program off the ground by providing preschool for 3,500 kids who won’t be able to enroll in kindergarten next year because the pre-K program was eliminated.

The program is expected to cost $125 million annually though when it opens up to all eligible students. Senators last month restored some of the money the House cut out of its version of the budget, but not to the level the governor requested.

There’s also debate over which agency should handle the school readiness program. Lawmakers indicated Wednesday that the Department of Human Services will administer it instead of the newly created Executive Office on Early Learning.

A proposed constitutional amendment to let the state give public money to private preschools will likely be voted on Thursday afternoon, lawmakers said. If the full Legislature goes on to pass Senate Bill 1084, the amendment will go on the ballot for voters to ultimately decide.

Senate bills 1093 and 1095, which institutes the school readiness aspect and provides enabling legislation for the constitutional amendment, will be heard again Friday in conference committee.

The Senate and House education chairs, Jill Tokuda and Roy Takumi, said more time is needed to review the proposed changes to the bills.

— Nathan Eagle