Bill Text: HI HB2719 | 2024 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Relating To Post-secondary Education.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-16 - Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Pierick voting no (2) and Representative(s) Aiu, Garrett, Perruso, Takayama, Todd excused (5). [HB2719 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2024-HB2719-Amended.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2719
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION.

 

 

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

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that community colleges play a vital role in meeting the State's employment needs.  The legislature further finds that, as a means to develop a well-trained and high qualified workforce, this Act addresses an issue of statewide concern.  A well-trained and highly qualified workforce will attract employers to the State, diversify the local economy, and allow Hawaii to compete in the global market.

     The purpose of this Act is to continue the State's efforts to provide free public education for students in kindergarten through community college by establishing a pilot program for community college tuition waivers.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  There is established a community college tuition waiver pilot program.

     (b)  Beginning with the 2025 fall semester, the board of regents of the university of Hawaii shall waive the tuition of any person who is admitted to and enrolled full-time at a community college campus of the university of Hawaii that is located in a county having a population of fewer than one hundred thousand residents; provided that the person shall meet the requirements of either paragraph (1) or paragraph (2) as follows:

     (1)  (A)  Be a United States citizen or an eligible non‑citizen;

          (B)  Have been a resident of the State for at least twelve months prior to applying for the waiver;

          (C)  Qualify for resident tuition;

          (D)  Be a graduate of a private or public high school located in the State;

          (E)  Maintain satisfactory academic progress, as determined by the community college at which the person is enrolled;

          (F)  Maintain continuous full-time enrollment at a community college, except for medical or personal absences approved by the community college;

          (G)  Be physically present in the State; and

          (H)  Be twenty-five years of age or younger; or

     (2)  (A)  Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid;

          (B)  Have been a resident of the county for at least one year;

          (C)  Have attended a high school located in the county for at least two years; and

          (D)  Have graduated from a high school located in the county.

     (c)  For the purposes of this Act, "eligible non-citizen" means an individual who is:

     (1)  A United States permanent resident who holds a permanent resident card;

     (2)  A conditional permanent resident of the United States; or

     (3)  The holder of an arrival-departure record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any one of the following designations:

          (A)  Refugee;

          (B)  Asylum granted;

          (C)  Parolee; or

          (D)  Cuban-Haitian Entrant.

     (d)  The pilot program shall cease to exist on June 30, 2026.

     SECTION 3.  The board of regents of the university of Hawaii shall conduct a review of the community college tuition waiver pilot program and submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2027; provided that the report shall include:

     (1)  The cost of implementing the pilot program;

     (2)  The estimated cost of expanding the pilot program statewide; and

     (3)  A recommendation regarding whether the pilot program should be expanded statewide.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.

 

 

Report Title:

UH; Community College; Tuition Waiver; Pilot Program

 

Description:

Establishes a pilot program to offer tuition waivers for certain community college students starting in fall 2025.  Requires the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii to submit a report.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD1)

 

 

 

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