STAND. COM. REP. NO.  964-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2131

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 2131, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to help expand veterans' educational opportunities and give them the same opportunity that residents have to access the University of Hawaii's educational resources by requiring the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii to waive the nonresident tuition and fee differential for veterans of the United States Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy, who were honorably discharged, regardless of their actual state of residence.

The United States Department of Defense, Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, National Association for Uniformed Services-Hawaii Chapter, Hawaii Alliance of Student Veterans, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of the Attorney General, University of Hawaii, and one concerned individual provided comments.

     Your Committee notes that, according to the University of Hawaii, initiatives are already underway to assess current institutional policies, programs, and practices, and to recommend that the Board of Regents adopt measures to improve veteran access to the University, including tuition and fee waivers. However, it is unclear exactly what the recommendations will be and whether or not they will be adopted by the Board.  Although this process is on-going within the University, your Committee finds that it is necessary to continue discussions on this measure in case the Board does not institute waivers of tuition and fee differentials for honorably discharged veterans.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that the measure shall take effect on July 1, 2050, to promote further discussion of the measure;

(2) Adding a proviso directing that the measure will not take effect if the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii adopts specific parameters and conditions for tuition and fee differential support for honorably discharged veterans by August 1, 2014; 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 Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2131, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2131, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Higher Education.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts,

____________________________

K. MARK TAKAI, Chair