STAND. COM. REP. NO. 755

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 683

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 683, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to increase the financial support provided to families of underrepresented college student populations by the Running Start Program.

     Specifically, this measure allows high school students in the Program to earn college credit for courses one hundred level and above and satisfy their high school graduation requirements.  Moneys for the program will be appropriated out of the University of Hawaii scholarship and special assistance fund.

     Comments in support of this measure were submitted by the University of Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that the Running Start Program, a joint program of the Department of Education and the University of Hawaii, helps to prepare high school students for college.  Eligible high school students may enroll in qualified college-level courses and earn credits for high school graduation and college simultaneously.  Running Start provides many students with the motivation, preparation, and opportunity to explore and pursue post-secondary education, which would otherwise be unavailable or unaffordable.  Your Committee believes that additional funding is necessary to allow the Running Start Program to keep pace with increased participation in the program and interest in college entry.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Replacing the appropriations with unspecified blank amounts to facilitate further discussion; and

(2)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity and style.  

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 683, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 683, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair