STAND. COM. REP. NO.  472

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 1594

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1594 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII PROMISE PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the Hawaii Promise Program (Program) to provide scholarships for the unmet direct cost needs of qualified students enrolled at any University of Hawaii campus, and appropriate funds to establish and implement the Program.

The University of Hawaii, KAI Hawaii, Inc., Graduate Student Organization at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Nursing Advocates & Mentors, Inc., Filipino American Citizens League, University of Hawaii Student Caucus, National Federation of Filipino American Associations Region 12, Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, Associated Students of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and numerous concerned individuals supported this measure.  A concerned individual opposed this measure.  Two concerned individuals provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring students to be enrolled in an undergraduate or non-graduate certificate program at a University of Hawaii campus for a maximum of eight semesters to be eligible for scholarship consideration under the Program;

     (2)  Changing the number of credits per semester required for scholarship consideration to twelve credits or more;

     (3)  Requiring students to maintain a grade point average of 2.5 or higher and earn a minimum of twenty-four credits to maintain a scholarship under the Program;

     (4)  Allowing a student to be placed on scholarship probation for no more than one semester during an eight-semester period at a University of Hawaii campus;

     (5)  Changing the amount appropriated to an unspecified amount;

     (6)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

     (7)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     Should the Committee on Finance deliberate this measure further, your Committee on Higher Education respectfully requests that it consider appropriating $11,560,000 to establish and implement the Program.

     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. 1594, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1594, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair