STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3098

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1894

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 1894, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify that under the Hawaii post-secondary education authorization program, when an institution ceases to operate, the student transcripts shall be kept permanently in a form prescribed by the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and that other records requested and obtained by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs may be disposed of at the Director's discretion.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

     Your Committee finds that existing law requires the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to permanently retain any student transcripts received from an institution that has ceased to operate.  Other records obtained from such an institution must be retained for ten years.  Your Committee further finds that if a closing institution deposits its records in paper format, the Department may be constrained by space and funding limitations and may be unable to receive and retain these records.  The Department recognizes the importance of retaining student transcripts and other student records, but it has concerns that an institution may indiscriminately transfer large quantities of records into the Department's possession during the closure process.  Accordingly, this measure authorizes the Department and Director to use its discretion in how student transcripts will be retained and how long other student records will be retained.  This will enable the Hawaii post-secondary education authorization program to carry out its responsibilities more effectively.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making it effective upon its approval.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1894, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1894, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health.

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

________________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair