STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1695-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.R. No. 112

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.R. No. 112 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING THE FACULTY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII SYSTEM TO MAKE GREATER USE OF OPEN EDUCATION RESOURCES AND OTHER LOW-COST OR FREE RESOURCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to help lower the cost of books and educational materials for students and increase the affordability of college for more families by encouraging the faculty of the University of Hawaii to make greater use of open education resources and other low-cost or free resources for their educational needs.

The University of Hawaii supported the intent of this measure.

Your Committee finds that the University of Hawaii is already providing options to reduce the cost of educational materials on an ad hoc basis.  Your Committee has chosen to support options other than only open education resources because open education resources are proprietary, do not fully reflect the ad hoc efforts that are already being undertaken by the University of Hawaii, and are not available for certain professional and graduate programs.

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 H.R. No. 112 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

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ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair