Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 3121 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a Hawaii state scholars program at the University of Hawaii and to make an appropriation for the program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii state scholars program would recognize, reward, and provide an academic incentive to students who have achieved excellence in academic achievement in high school. The targeted population of students has achieved a grade point average of 4.0 and has scored in the top ten percent on the SAT or ACT, without regard to financial need.

Your Committee further finds that mainland public universities provide similar scholarships for academically outstanding high school students. This measure provides a scholarship that may be more easily administered for some purposes than a tuition waiver, according to testimony of the University of Hawaii.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making clarifying changes to the language which do not affect the intent or meaning.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3121, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3121, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.