STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2610

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2131

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2131, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require 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.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Veterans of Foreign Wars, two Hawaii Alliance of Student Veterans, and one individual.  Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee finds that veterans provide a valuable service to the country and the State and often forego educational opportunities during their service.  Your Committee further finds that waiving the nonresident tuition and fee differential at the University of Hawaii for veterans will help to expand veterans' educational opportunities and give them the same opportunity that residents have to access the University's educational resources.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     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. 2131, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2131, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair