STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2775

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2690

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2690 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 encourage University of Hawai‘i Maui students to study abroad in other countries by appropriating $37,500 for scholarships that subsidize travel expenses and tuition.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System and one member of the Maui County Council.

Your Committee finds that students studying abroad gain foreign languages skills and cross-cultural competence and develop economic and educational relationships in an increasingly globalized world. According to testimony received by your Committee, studying abroad also maximizes the global learning and stimulates the enrollment of international students at each partnering institution. However, the major challenge for most interested students is cost.

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. 2690 and recommends that it pass Second Reading 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