STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1355

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1079

       H.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1079, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a framework for provisionally authorizing post-secondary degree-granting educational institutions that have applied for accreditation by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.

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

     Your Committees find that students will benefit if the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs oversees accreditation-seeking institutions and ensures that the institutions make acceptable progress toward accreditation.  Your Committees further find that many states across the country already issue some type of temporary authorization or approval to institutions that are in the process of applying for accreditation.  Your Committees find that it is also beneficial to allow the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to grant temporary waivers of the accreditation requirement when necessary for good cause and the protection of students facing imminent financial hardship.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1079, H.D. 2, and recommend that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Ways and Means,

________________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair