STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1673-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.C.R. No. 116

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 116 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE HAWAII ACCESS TO JUSTICE COMMISSION TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO DEVELOP AN EDUCATIONAL LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM FOR WILLIAM S. RICHARDSON SCHOOL OF LAW GRADUATES TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES TO PURSUE PUBLIC INTEREST CAREERS IN HAWAII THAT DIRECTLY SERVE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expand access to legal services for the people of Hawaii by requesting the Hawaii Access to Justice Commission to convene a working group to develop an educational loan repayment program for graduates of the William S. Richardson School of Law to expand opportunities to pursue public-interest careers in Hawaii for the benefit of underserved communities.  More specifically, the working group is requested to:

     (1) Explore alternative methods of encouraging law graduates to pursue public interest careers that provide legal services directly to underserved communities and nonprofit organizations;

     (2)  Consider the compatibility of the federal law graduate loan repayment programs with a Hawaii program;

     (3)  Consider the establishment of an incubator program for post-graduate apprenticeship to afford practice-ready training for graduates of the William S. Richardson School of Law and to encourage multidisciplinary training of graduates;

     (4)  Draft proposed legislation or alternative measures, if needed, to implement such programs; and

     (5)  Submit a final report of the working group's findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2015.

The William S. Richardson School of Law, Hawaii Access to Justice Commission, Student Bar Association of the William S. Richardson School of Law, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, and Community Alliance on Prisons supported the measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 116 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

ISAAC W. CHOY, Chair