STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1433

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 119

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 119, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT A STUDY OF THE POTENTIAL REGULATION OF UNACCREDITED DEGREE GRANTING INSTITUTIONS IN THE STATE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Auditor to conduct a sunrise review of the regulation of unaccredited degree granting institutions, as proposed under H.B. No. 1200, H.D. 2 (2013), including an assessment of the current and alternative forms of regulation.

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Office of Consumer Protection.

     Your Committee finds that many employers require a degree from an accredited educational institution as a condition of employment.  Furthermore, the United States Department of Education relies upon an institution's accreditation from a recognized accrediting agency to determine eligibility for certain federal funds.  Nonetheless, Hawaii is one of a small number of states that does not license, approve, or prohibit unaccredited degree granting institutions.  This measure requests an evaluation of proposed regulation in this area.

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 119, S.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair