THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2755
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to the university of hawaii system.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that, as the indigenous people of Hawaii, Native Hawaiians have a unique historical, cultural, and political relationship with the State of Hawaii. This relationship is rooted in the recognition of Hawaii as an independent nation prior to its unlawful overthrow in 1893, the subsequent annexation, and the continued commitment of the State of Hawaii to support Native Hawaiian advancement, as codified in the Hawaii State Constitution and Hawaii Revised Statutes.

The legislature further finds that providing a tuition waiver or remission program for Native Hawaiians at the university of Hawaii system is consistent with the policies adopted in other states that recognize indigenous populations. Just as Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, and Montana have enacted laws to ensure access to higher education for Native American and Alaska Native students, Hawaii should create a parallel tuition benefit for Native Hawaiians.

The legislature additionally finds that Native Hawaiian education is currently under threat from ongoing inequities, reduced resources, and the erosion of programs specifically designed to serve Native Hawaiian students, and is a matter of statewide concern pursuant to article X, section 6, of the Hawaii State Constitution.

The legislature further finds that Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop's vision and legacy, through the Kamehameha Schools, was to provide educational opportunities to Native Hawaiians so they could thrive in their homeland. The establishment of a tuition waiver for Native Hawaiians enrolling within the university of Hawaii system would take her vision to the next step, ensuring higher education access across the public university system, strengthening pathways from kindergarten through twelfth grade to higher education, and fulfilling the State's constitutional mandate to promote the well-being of Native Hawaiians.

The legislature notes that the university of Hawaii has not fully paid its obligations for the use of public trust lands that are designated for the betterment of Native Hawaiians, as required by the Hawaii State Constitution and Hawaii Revised Statutes. This ongoing failure underscores the importance of creating a tuition waiver program as one way to rectify historic and current shortcomings in advancing Native Hawaiian education and equity.

The purpose of this Act is to require the university of Hawaii to provide higher education tuition waivers for qualifying native Hawaiian and Hawaiian students enrolled in the university of Hawaii system.

SECTION 2. Chapter 304A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§304A-    Tuition waivers; Native Hawaiian; Hawaiian. (a) Any law to the contrary notwithstanding, the board of regents shall grant a waiver on all tuition for a student enrolled at a campus within the university of Hawaii system who is native Hawaiian or Hawaiian, as those terms are defined in section 10-2; provided that the student is in possession of a card issued by the office of Hawaiian affairs identifying the student as a person included in the Hawaiian registry under section 10-19 shall constitute conclusive proof that the student is native Hawaiian or Hawaiian.

(b) The university shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 necessary to implement this section."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

University of Hawaii; Board of Regents; Tuition Waiver; Native Hawaiians

Description:

Requires the Board of Regents to grant a waiver on all tuition for qualifying native Hawaiian and Hawaiian students enrolled within the University of Hawaii System.

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