STAND. COM. REP. NO. 735

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 945

       S.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 945, S.D. 1, 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 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 received comments on this measure from one individual.

     Your Committees find that post-secondary students in Hawaii will benefit from the additional oversight and monitoring of the accreditation process by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.  This measure provides a mechanism for post-secondary degree-granting institutions that are in the process of qualifying for full accreditation to receive provisional authorization by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and is in line with most other states, which have in place a mechanism to issue some type of temporary state authorization or approval to post-secondary institutions that are in the process of applying for accreditation.

     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 S.B. No. 945, S.D. 1, 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