SB1648 HD2

Report Title:

Post-secondary Education; Tuition Assistance; Military

Description:

Provides tuition refunds for qualifying children of certain law enforcement and military personnel and other first responders killed in the line of duty. Provides tuition refunds to certain members of the military who are unable to attend college for more than thirty days in a semester as a result of their military duties, including members of the Hawaii national guard or military reserves who are called into active duty and active duty military personnel. Appropriates funds for tuition assistance for members of the Hawaii national guard who are undergraduate students enrolled in degree programs at the University of Hawaii. Effective date July 1, 2020. (SB1648 HD2)

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1648
TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII		H.D. 2

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to tuition assistance.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

PART I

SECTION 1. The purpose of this part is to provide tuition refunds:

(1) For qualifying children of certain law enforcement, firefighting, emergency medical services, water safety, and air ambulance services personnel; Hawaii veterans; and other first responders who are killed in the line of duty; and

(2) To the following persons who are unable to attend college for more than thirty days in a semester as a result of their military duties:

(A) Members of the Hawaii national guard or military reserves who are called into active duty; and

(B) Active-duty military personnel.

SECTION 2. Chapter 304, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding two new sections to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§304- Tuition refund for children of law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, water safety officers, air ambulance pilots or medical personnel, and other first responders killed in the line of duty. (a) Any natural or legally adopted child of a:

(1) Regular, paid law enforcement officer;

(2) Volunteer law enforcement officer;

(3) Regular, paid firefighter;

(4) Volunteer firefighter;

(5) Reserve police officer;

(6) Emergency medical technician;

(7) Mobile intensive care technician;

(8) Water safety officer;

(9) Air ambulance pilot;

(10) Air ambulance medical technician; or

(11) Other first responder,

who has been killed in the line of duty, shall be entitled to receive a tuition refund upon the successful completion of each of a maximum of eight semesters at the University of Hawaii; provided that the child is under the age of twenty-two at the time of application for a refund, is a full-time or part-time undergraduate student pursuing a prescribed course of study, and maintains satisfactory academic progress as determined by the college, university, or school; provided further that no refund shall be awarded under this section for tuition paid for summer session, outreach, or extension courses.

(b) The amount of tuition refund under this section shall be one hundred per cent of the tuition paid for a semester for a student enrolled at a community college and fifty per cent of the tuition paid for a semester for a student enrolled at a university campus. If the child receives any other benefits from any source specifically designated for tuition, the amount of tuition refunded under this section shall be reduced by the amount of those benefits. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the State to remit any tuition for terms completed by a child who would have been eligible to receive a refund under subsection (a) prior to the child's application for the benefits provided under this section.

(c) The president of the University of Hawaii shall consult with the director of labor and industrial relations to carry out the purposes of this section.

§304- Tuition refund for children of Hawaii veterans and military first responders killed in action. (a) Any natural or legally adopted child of a deceased veteran or military first responder who:

(1) Filed Hawaii state income taxes for thirty-six consecutive months or more;

(2) Served in the armed forces of the United States from:

(A) April 6, 1917, to July 2, 1921;

(B) September 16, 1940, to December 31, 1946;

(D) August 5, 1964, to May 7, 1975; or

(E) After August 2, 1990;

and

(3) Was killed in service as evidenced by records of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs,

shall be entitled to receive a tuition refund upon the successful completion of each of a maximum of eight semesters at the University of Hawaii; provided that the child is under the age of twenty-two at the time of application for a refund, is a full-time or part-time undergraduate student pursuing a prescribed course of study, and maintains satisfactory academic progress as determined by the college, university, or school; provided further that no refund shall be awarded under this section for tuition paid for summer session, outreach, or extension courses.

(c) The president of the University of Hawaii shall consult with the director of the office of veterans services to carry out the purposes of this section."

SECTION 3. Section 304-16.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:

1. By amending its title to read:

"§304-16.5 University of Hawaii tuition and fees special fund; tuition schedule [~~and~~], waivers[.], and refunds."

2. By amending subsection (b) to read:

"(b) The board of regents, or its designated representatives, [~~is authorized to~~] may grant, modify, or suspend tuition waivers. The board shall refund in full any tuition paid for a semester upon the request of any student who is:

(1) A member of the Hawaii national guard or United States military reserves who is ordered to active duty and is unable to attend school for more than thirty days during the semester due to requirements of the member's military or national guard service; or

(2) A full-time member of the United States military on active duty who is unable to attend school for more than thirty days during the semester due to requirements of the member's military service.

The board of regents shall provide a report and make recommendations as appropriate to the legislature on all tuition waivers and refunds no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session. This report shall include but not be limited to [~~the~~]:

(1) The number of tuition waivers[~~, scholarships, stipends, and mandatory fees~~] granted to financially needy students [~~from ethnic groups that are under-represented in the student population of the University of Hawaii through the Hawaii opportunity program in education.~~];

(2) The number of tuition refunds granted to students who are members of the Hawaii national guard or United States military reserves ordered to active duty or who are full-time members of the United States military on active duty, pursuant to this section; and

(3) The number of tuition refunds granted to children of law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, water safety officers, air ambulance pilots or medical personnel, Hawaii veterans, or other first responders killed in the line of duty, pursuant to sections 304- and 304- ."

SECTION 4. In accordance with article X, section 6, of the State Constitution, the legislature finds and declares this part to be of statewide concern.

PART II

SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007 to provide tuition assistance to members of the Hawaii national guard who are undergraduate students working toward a degree on any campus of the University of Hawaii system.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of defense for the purposes of this part.

PART III

SECTION 6. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2020; provided that section 5 shall take effect on July 1, 2020.