STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3341

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2296

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2296, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

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

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the State Public Charter School Commission, HawaiiKidsCAN, Hawaii Community Foundation, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Maui Chamber of Commerce, and five individuals.

Written comments in opposition were received from Molokai High School and two individuals.

The Department of Education, Office of Information Practices, and one individual submitted written comments on the measure.

Your Committee finds that requiring completion of the FAFSA or an opt-out waiver will help to ensure, at a minimum, that all graduating high school students have been made aware of their opportunity to receive federal financial aid for post-secondary education.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that, in addition to a member of the non-profit sector, the working group shall include high school counselors and a representative of the public charter school system;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(3) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2296, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2296, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair