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 S.B. No. 3109 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a financial aid for post-secondary education and training for low-income students program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the measure from the University of Hawaii, Bridge to Hope Coordinator, and an individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to the measure from the Director of Finance.

Your Committee finds that low-income students face many barriers to full participation in post-secondary education, training, and the workforce. In Hawaii and other states, students from public high schools in high-income communities are more likely to go to college than their peers from low-income communities. The State of Hawaii is ranked last among the fifty states in providing state support for higher education by the National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs. This measure will demonstrate the State's strong commitment to resolving this inequity.

Your Committee has amended the measure by deleting the definition of "low-income student" as meaning any junior and senior in high school eligible for free or reduced school lunch to provide the University of Hawaii greater flexibility in defining low-income in a manner consistent with preexisting federal definitions and guidelines for financially needy students already in use.

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 S.B. No. 3109, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3109, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.