Bill Text: HI HB1613 | 2016 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Community Colleges; Tuition Waiver

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2016-03-10 - Referred to HEA, WAM. [HB1613 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2016-HB1613-Amended.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1613
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016		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 the community colleges play a vital role in meeting the employment needs of the State.  A well-trained and highly qualified work force would also attract additional employers to Hawaii and diversify the local economy.

     This Act begins the State's transition to providing public education from grades K to 14, and this policy would allow Hawaii to compete in a competitive global market.

     By establishing a pilot program in the county with the smallest population, this Act not only increases access to higher education but also serves as an incubator to determine how well such a program would affect the workforce needs of and expand economic development in the county of Kauai.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 304A, part IV, subpart A, subdivision 1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§304A-    Community college tuition waiver.  (a)  The board of regents shall waive the tuition of any person who enrolls as a student in a community college under the following conditions:

     (1)  The person is a United States citizen or an eligible non-citizen;

     (2)  The person has been a resident of the State for at least twelve months prior to the time of applying for the waiver, and qualified for resident tuition;

     (3)  The person is a graduate of a private or public high school located in the State;

     (4)  The person is admitted to and enrolled full-time in a community college;

     (5)  The person maintains satisfactory academic progress, as determined by the community college in which the person is enrolled;

     (6)  The person maintains continuous full-time enrollment at a community college, except for periods of medical or personal leave of absence, as approved by the community college that the person attends;

     (7)  The person is physically present in the State; and

     (8)  The person is under the age of twenty-six.

     (b)  As used in this subsection, an "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;

     (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."

     SECTION 3.  (a)  The University of Hawaii shall implement section 2 of this Act as a pilot program in any county with a population of less than one hundred thousand residents, beginning in the fall of 2017.  In addition to the requirements set forth in section 2, and notwithstanding any conflicting requirements set forth in section 2, the board of regents shall waive the tuition of any person who enrolls as a student in a community college in a county with less than one hundred thousand residents under the following conditions:

     (1)  The person completes and submits to the board of regents a Free Application for Federal Student Aid;

     (2)  The person has been a resident of the county for at least two years;

     (3)  The person attended high school for at least two years; and

     (4)  The person graduated from a high school located in the county.

     (b)  The board of regents shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature regarding the outcomes of the tuition waiver program no less than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2019.

     SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2525.

Report Title:

Community Colleges; Tuition Waiver

 

Description:

Grants tuition waivers to students at the community colleges who meet certain criteria.  Initiates the waiver program as a pilot program in a county with a population of less than 100,000.  (HB1613 HD1)

 

 

 

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