Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2798, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for University of Hawaii scholarships for students who qualify for tuition waivers, so that they may take advantage of the HOPE scholarship federal tax credit. Each scholarship shall not exceed $2,000 per student.

Your Committee finds that University of Hawaii students are unable to take advantage of the HOPE federal tax credit as tuition waiver recipients do not have qualified educational expenses upon which to claim the credit. This measure provides scholarships that will result in educational expenses for which students may claim the credit. In this manner, scholarship students may take advantage of the HOPE tax credit.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2798, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.