STAND. COM. REP. NO.  25

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 1528

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1528 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to encourage Hawaii residents to pursue post secondary education by:

     (1)  Increasing the amount of funds appropriated for the B              Plus Scholarship Program (Program); and

     (2)  Changing the Program's eligibility criteria.

     The University of Hawaii at Manoa (UH-Manoa) College of Education, UH-Manoa GEAR UP, GEAR UP Hawaii, United Filipino Community Council, Oahu Filipino Community Council, Filipino Coalition for Solidarity, Hawaii Women Work!, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The University of Hawaii supported the intent of this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the appropriation amounts to $1 to encourage              further discussion;

     (2)  Specifying that Hawaii residents who pledge, via an            early intervention program, to meet the requirements for      the B Plus Scholarship (Scholarship), shall receive             priority for the Scholarship; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity,      consistency, and style.

     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 H.B. No. 1528, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1528, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

JERRY L. CHANG, Chair