STAND. COM. REP. NO. 39

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 907

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. 907 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the University of Hawaii to establish a free application day for prospective students who qualify for Hawaii resident tuition.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System.

Your Committee finds that to remain competitive in the global economy, Hawaii students should be encouraged to pursue a post-secondary certificate or degree. However, many are discouraged from applying to post-secondary institutions because of the costs associated with application fees. This measure encourages students to submit at least one post-secondary application and file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that the free application day established by the University of Hawaii shall be a two-year pilot project, rather than an annual offering; and

(2) Specifying that the University of Hawaii shall be responsible for selecting the day to offer the free application day.

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. 907, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 907, 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