STAND. COM. REP. NO. 436-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2088

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Lower & Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2088 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a working group to create a state plan to make the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion or an opt-out waiver for FAFSA completion a statewide graduation requirement by the 2022-2023 school year.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from HawaiiKidsCAN, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Maui Chamber of Commerce, The McClelan Group, and twelve individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education and Office of Information Practices.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii left $10,000,000 in unclaimed federal Pell Grants on the table in 2018; enough to send roughly 2,500 students to a University of Hawaii community college tuition-free. Your Committee further finds that in 2016, the State of Louisiana began requiring students to fill out FAFSA because more than half of high school seniors were not completing the paperwork for FAFSA. Louisiana is now ranked first in the nation for FAFSA completion. This measure will allow the State to develop a plan to also require FAFSA completion, including an opt-out provision, for students in Hawaii.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2050.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Lower & Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2088, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2088, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair