HB1960 HD1 HSCR70-02

 

STAND. COM. REP. NO.70-02

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 1960

H.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1960 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IMMIGRANTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of the bill is to allow qualified immigrant students who have not achieved legal immigration status to pay resident tuition rates at the University of Hawaii (UH) if they meet certain conditions.

The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission submitted testimony supporting the measure. Na Loio - Immigrant Rights and Public Interest Legal Center supported the bill and proposed amendments. UH supported the intent of the measure and noted that the recent grant of autonomy to UH might make it more appropriate for the Legislature to approve a resolution rather than pass a bill on this matter. The Office of Information Practices took no position on the substance of the bill but commented on the portion of the bill pertaining to the confidentiality of student information.

Your Committee finds that although many immigrant students are fully qualified to receive resident tuition rates, many do not because of their immigration status. By permitting them to pay resident tuition rates, many of these students will be able to receive an education that they otherwise might not have been able to receive.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Deleting the provision making student information confidential;

(2) Allowing students who obtained a general education diploma (GED) in Hawaii to receive resident tuition rates at UH;

(3) Replacing the term "immigrant" with a description of the affected immigrant students; and

(4) Making technical, non-substantive amendments for purposes of clarity and style.

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 H.B. No. 1960, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1960, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

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

 

		____________________________ ROY TAKUMI, Chair