STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2147

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2320

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Higher Education and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2320 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AN UNDERGRADUATE HEALTH SCIENCES ACADEMY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish an undergraduate health sciences academy to be administered by the University of Hawai‘i West O‘ahu to increase recruitment and retention of Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and first generation college students;

(2) Require the University of Hawai‘i West O‘ahu to submit a report every two years to the Legislature regarding educational outcomes; and

(3) Appropriate funds for permanent faculty and staff positions at the undergraduate health sciences academy.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, University of Hawai‘i System, Department of Health, Native Hawaiian Health Coalition, Hawai‘i Public Health Institute, Papa Ola Lokahi, WCRC, Hawaiian Affairs Caucus – Democratic Party of Hawaii, Oahu County Legislative Priorities Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Kamehameha Schools, and numerous concerned individuals.

Your Committees find that current data suggests that Native Hawaiians are less likely to attend college in comparison to other ethnic groups due to low levels of preparation and inadequate finances. For Native Hawaiian students who attend college, graduation and retention rates are significantly lower than the general student population.

Your Committees further find that multiple studies testing for factors leading to retention have identified that the more involved Native Hawaiian students are in school activities and the more interaction they have with faculty and their peers, the more likely they are to persevere in their higher education. The development of a health sciences academy, with a focus on Native Hawaiian student retention, would target integration of the student and their family in school activities, as well as serve as a model for other underrepresented groups.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the reference to "early college" in the title of the new section added to part IV, subpart M, of chapter 304A, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(2) Specifying that the appropriated funds shall be for the permanent faculty and staff positions at the undergraduate health sciences academy to be administered by the University of Hawai‘i West Oahu and John A. Burns School of Medicine; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Higher Education and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2320, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2320, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Higher Education and Hawaiian Affairs,

________________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair