Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Human Services, to which was referred S.R. No. 53 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Board of Regents and the President of the University of Hawaii to fully implement the Senior Citizen Visitor Program on a systemwide basis.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the University of Hawaii.

Your Committees find that, prior to 1995, Hawaii law required the University of Hawaii to allow Hawaii residents aged sixty or older to enroll in courses without payment of tuition or fees. Since the 1995 repeal of the senior citizen tuition waivers, however, each campus has developed its own program. The University of Hawaii at Manoa campus has developed the Senior Citizen Visitor Program, which allows senior citizens to visit university courses free of charge, provided they are not awarded university credits and there is space available in the course.

Your Committees find that senior citizens benefit from lifelong learning and also contribute to the campuses. Your Committees further find that implementation of a systemwide program will allow senior citizens to participate in university courses at all campuses.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 53 and recommend its adoption.