STAND. COM. REP. NO. 76

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 316

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 316 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii for additional funding for the Hawaii promise program for four-year institutions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System, Department of Education, Kamehameha Schools, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii promise program provides financial assistance to students with financial need, as determined by the student's Free Application for Federal Student Aid, to meet the cost of tuition, fees, books, and transportation. However, the Hawaii promise program is only available to students at the University of Hawaii community colleges. This measure expands the Hawaii promise program to qualified students at four-year institutions, which will significantly enhance the number of economically disadvantaged students who can attend and graduate from the University of Hawaii.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a blank appropriation amount for additional funds for the Hawaii promise program for four-year institutions; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 316, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 316, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair