Bill Text: HI HB857 | 2017 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating To Post-secondary Education.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-01-27 - Referred to HED, FIN, referral sheet 4 [HB857 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2017-HB857-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	857
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017
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.  In addition, the countless benefits of higher education include the potential for higher earnings by workers and higher tax, health-care-insurance, and retirement-pension contributions by workers.

     The legislature also finds that a student's access to higher education should not be impeded by financial concerns.

     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 applies for a tuition waiver under this section, provided that the following conditions are met:

     (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 has 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 of the University of Hawaii;

     (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 of the University of Hawaii, 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 a person 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."

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $20,000,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2017-2018 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-2019 to pay for tuition waivers for qualifying community college students; provided that any portion of the sums appropriated that have not been expended by June 30, 2018, and June 30, 2019, respectively, shall not lapse and shall be used for tuition waivers for students in the University of Hawaii system who:

(1)  Are not students at community colleges; and

(2)  Otherwise meet the conditions in section 304A-  , Hawaii Revised Statutes, of section 2 of this Act;

provided further that any remaining unencumbered balance on June 30, 2020, shall lapse to the credit of the general fund.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2017.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Community Colleges; Tuition Waiver; Appropriation

 

Description:

Grants tuition waivers to students at the community colleges who meet certain criteria.  Allows unexpended funds to carryover to fiscal years 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 to fund tuition waivers in the University of Hawaii System.

 

 

 

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