STAND. COM. REP. NO.  70

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 767

      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 Committees on Higher Education and Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 767 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE RUNNING START PROGRAM FOR COLLEGE PREPARATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to continue to encourage students of underrepresented populations to attend college by:

     (1)  Requiring the Department of Education (DOE) to provide students who participate in the Running Start Program (Program) with guidance to earn credit toward high school graduation for the satisfactory completion of certain University of Hawaii (UH) courses; and

     (2)  Increasing financial support for families of such students who participate in the Program.

     UH College of Education and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Hawaii P-20 Initiative and GEAR UP Hawaii supported this measure with amendments.  DOE supported the intent of this bill. 

     Your Committees have amended this bill by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the special fund for the Program is the UH Scholarship and Assistance Special Fund;

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

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Higher Education and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 767, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 767, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Higher Education and Education,

____________________________ ROY TAKUMI, Chair

____________________________ JERRY L. CHANG, Chair