Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1893, H.D. 2, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to create the GEAR UP Hawaii Scholarship trust fund as a requirement of the State's participation in the federal Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs.

Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by the University of Hawaii (university) and the Hawaii State Teachers Association.

In 2000, the university received a $10.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education's GEAR UP Program. The purpose of GEAR UP nationwide is to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in post-secondary education. Your Committee finds that in accepting this money, the university must comply with certain federal stipulations. This measure will ensure that the scholarship funds will go to participants of the GEAR UP Program which is one of the federal requirements.

Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting S.B. No. 2175, S.D. 1, to also establish a GEAR UP Hawaii trust fund, with the following differences:

The amended measure also makes technical, nonsubstantive amendments.

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. 1893, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1893, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.