HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2026

 

COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Rep. Andrew Takuya Garrett, Chair

Rep. Terez Amato, Vice Chair

 

Rep. Luke A. Evslin

Rep. Ikaika Olds

Rep. Jeanne Kapela

Rep. Justin H. Woodson

Rep. Darius K. Kila

Rep. Christopher L. Muraoka

Rep. Trish La Chica

Rep. Kanani Souza

 

 

NOTICE OF HEARING

 

DATE:

Friday, February 6, 2026

TIME:

2:05p.m.

PLACE:

VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE

Conference Room 309

State Capitol

415 South Beretania Street

 

 

 

Click here to submit testimony and to testify remotely or in person.

 

A live stream link of all House Standing Committee meetings will be available online

shortly before the scheduled start time.

 

Click here for the live stream of this meeting via YouTube.

 

 

 

A G E N D A

 

HB 2441

Status

RELATING TO CAMPUS SAFETY.

Requires students of the University of Hawaii, including transfer students, to complete training on federal laws and University policies regarding sexual misconduct prior to the completion of initial registration into the university of Hawaii system.  Amends the frequency that training and programming regarding sexual misconduct is provided to university of Hawaii students and employees.

 

HED, JHA, FIN

HB 2159

Status

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

Establishes positions and appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii to support health care workforce development in the State.

 

HED, HLT, FIN

HB 2161

Status

RELATING TO PHARMACY.

Establishes the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Special Fund to support pharmacist workforce assessment and planning efforts.  Establishes the pharmacist workforce assessment fee.  Appropriates funds.

 

HED, CPC, FIN

HB 2171

Status

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

Authorizes the University of Hawaii to engage in enterprise-related activities for educational purposes.

 

HED, WAL, FIN

HB 2416

Status

RELATING TO A MARITIME YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP PATHWAY PROGRAM.

Directs Honolulu Community College, in partnership with state agencies and maritime employers, to conduct a study and develop a plan for a statewide Maritime Youth Apprenticeship Program for individuals ages 16 to 24.  Requires a report to the Legislature with recommendations on program structure, resource needs, proposed legislation and implementation options.  Appropriates moneys.

 

HED, LAB, FIN

HB 2518

Status

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

Requires the University of Hawaii to develop a facilities and student housing master plan.  Requires reports to the Legislature.

 

HED, HSG, FIN

HB 2617

Status

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT HILO.

Establishes the Institute of Indigenous Education, Science, and Outreach within the University of Hawaii at Hilo.  Authorizes the Hawaiian Language College Revolving Fund to include moneys from any revenue source and requires expenditures in the fund to be used to support the Imiloa Astronomy Center.  Requires the Hawaiian Early Learning Trust Fund to support the Hawaiian-Language-Medium Education Pathway.  Establishes a cap on individual deposits into the Hawaiian Language College Revolving Fund and the Hawaiian Early Learning Trust Fund.

 

HED, JHA, FIN

HB 2338

Status

RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROMISE PROGRAM.

Amends the Hawaii Community College Promise Program (Hawaii promise) to exclude grants, scholarships, and other funding sources from the calculation of Hawaii promise awards, allowing students to apply such funds toward indirect costs, including housing, food, and other living expenses, to reduce financial barriers and support student success.  Addresses the change in federal law regarding Pell Grants.  Changes Hawaii promise from being a last-dollar award.

 

HED, FIN

HB 2339

Status

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII REVENUE BONDS.

Authorizes the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii to issue revenue bonds for the purpose of financing qualifying priority capital improvement projects.

 

HED, FIN

HB 2489

Status

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

Appropriates moneys to establish a bachelor's degree program in American Sign Language interpretation at the University of Hawaii Manoa campus with a multi-year plan to include a master's degree program for interpreter training.

 

HED, FIN

HB 2517

Status

RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION.

Establishes a statewide framework for the assessment and the award of academic credit for prior learning acquired through military service, workforce training, apprenticeships, professional certifications, and other structured learning experiences outside of traditional classrooms.

 

HED, FIN

HB 2158

Status

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

Requires the UH system to collect, maintain, and publish standardized program-level data for each academic program offered.  Requires maintenance of an online dashboard with program-level data.  Requires an annual report.

 

HED, FIN

 

 

 

 

DECISION MAKING TO FOLLOW

 

Persons wishing to offer comments should submit testimony at least 24 hours prior to the hearing.  Testimony received after this time will be stamped late and left to the discretion of the chair to consider.  While every effort will be made to incorporate all testimony received, materials received on the day of the hearing or improperly identified or directed, may not be processed.

 

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FOR AMENDED NOTICES:  Measures that have been deleted are stricken through and measures that have been added are bolded.

 

For more information, please contact the Committee Clerk at (808) 586-8476.

 

 

 

 

 

________________________________________

Rep. Andrew Takuya Garrett

Chair