STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2463

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2596

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 Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2596 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SENIOR CITIZENS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the University of Hawai‘i to:

(1) Establish a five-year senior citizen higher education access pilot program at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo; and

(2) Submit a report on the progress of the pilot program to the Legislature prior to Regular Session 2024.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from AARP Hawaii; Ho‘omana Pono, LLC; Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; and four individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo.

Your Committees find that while there is no cure for Alzheimer's, several studies and publications provide evidence that continuing education may delay the onset of Alzheimer's symptoms. Although there are several existing programs aimed at promoting mental health for Hawaii's senior citizens through formal education, this measure further promotes lifelong learning for senior citizens while adding senior citizen wisdom and experience to the classroom setting.

Your Committees have amended this measure by 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 Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2596, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2596, 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 Human Services,

________________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair