STAND. COM. REP. NO. 210

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1151

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1151 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROMISE PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to exempt University of Hawaii community college students who are enrolled in certificate programs from the requirement to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each academic year to be considered eligible for the Hawaii Community College Program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, University of Hawai‘i System, University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that students attending the University of Hawaii community colleges have benefitted significantly from the Hawaii Community College Promise Program, which is more flexible and teaches political, applicable skills. Additionally, your Committee believes that certificate programs are valuable to the State and open opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have had difficulty in accessing promise scholarships in the past either because they were not enrolled full-time or had difficulty with FAFSA applications. Your Committee recognizes the importance of widening access to the Hawaii Community College Promise Program to help students in certificate programs pursue their educational goals. Therefore, this measure aims to increase opportunities to achieve higher education and reduce the cost of community college for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

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. 1151, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1151, S.D. 1, 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