Bill Text: HI SB849 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii Senate Bill 849 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Relating To Veterans.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-12-01 - Carried over to 2020 Regular Session. [SB849 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2020-SB849-Introduced.html

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	849
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to veterans.

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the United States Navy, comprised of hundreds of thousands of personnel, plays an important role in the United States armed forces. Throughout the history of the United States Navy, Hawaii has been a significant strategic location that provides critical support for the naval fleet, personnel, and defense systems. Furthermore, there are many active and decommissioned United States Navy ships that are named after persons, places, and words associated with Hawaii. These ships include the:

(1) U.S.S. Aloha (SP-317);

(2) U.S.S. Chung-Hoon (DDG-93);

(3) U.S.S. Daniel K. Inouye (DDG-118);

(4) U.S.S. Diamond Head (AE-19);

(5) U.S.S. Frank E. Evans;

(6) U.S.S. Hawaii (CB-3);

(7) U.S.S. Hawaii (SSN-776);

(8) U.S.S. Hilo (AGP-2);

(9) U.S.S. Honolulu (CL-48);

(10) U.S.S. Honolulu (ID-1843);

(11) U.S.S. Honolulu (SSN-718);

(12) U.S.S. Kailua (IX-71);

(13) U.S.S. Kamehameha (SSBN-642);

(14) U.S.S. Kaula (AG-33);

(15) U.S.N.S. Kilauea (T-AE-26);

(16) R.V. Kilo Moana (T-AGOR-26);

(17) U.S.S. Lanikai;

(18) U.S.S. Maui (ARG-8);

(19) S.S. Maui (1916);

(20) U.S.S. Mauna Kea (AE-22);

(21) U.S.S. Mauna Loa (AE-8);

(22) U.S.S. Oahu (PR-6);

(23) U.S.S. Oahu (ARG-5); and

(24) U.S.S. Pearl Harbor (LSD-52).

The legislature further finds that veterans of the United States armed forces have protected and served our nation and our State, and many veterans are pursuing higher education at University of Hawaii campuses throughout the State. Granting tuition waivers for veterans, particularly those who served on United States Navy ships that are named after persons, places, and words associated with Hawaii, will expand veterans' educational opportunities by allowing them to attend college within the University of Hawaii system at the resident tuition rate.

The purpose of this Act is to require the board of regents of the University of Hawaii to waive the nonresident tuition and fee differential for veterans of the United States Navy who:

(1) Served on an active ship or ship decommissioned after 2000 that is named after a person, place, or word associated with Hawaii; and

(2) Were honorably discharged.

SECTION 2. Section 304A-402, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§304A-402[]] Residence for tuition purposes; basic rule. The board of regents shall adopt the necessary rules defining residence for tuition purposes herein; provided that the basic rule shall be that a student shall qualify for the resident tuition fee only if the following criteria are met:

(1) The adult student, or in the case of a minor student, the student's parents or guardians, has or have been a bona fide resident of this State for at least twelve consecutive months next preceding the student's first day of officially scheduled instruction for any semester or term in which the student is enrolling at the particular college or campus; and

(2) The adult or minor student has not been claimed as a dependent for tax purposes for at least twelve months next preceding the student's first day of officially scheduled instruction for any semester or term in which the student is enrolling at the particular college or campus by the student's parents or guardians who are nonresidents of the State; provided that this provision shall not apply in cases where the parent claiming the student as a dependent is entitled to do so under a child support order or agreement issued or entered into in conjunction with a divorce proceeding or legal separation agreement and the other parent and the student meet the criteria set forth in paragraph (1)[.];

provided that the residency requirements of this section shall not apply to a student who meets the qualifications of section 304A-502(c)."

SECTION 3. Section 304A-502, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§304A-502[~~] Power of regents to grant tuition~~] Tuition waivers. (a) The board of regents, or its designated representatives, [~~is authorized to~~] may grant, modify, or suspend tuition waivers.

(b) The board may:

(1) Waive entirely or reduce the tuition fee or any of the other fees for graduate teaching and research assistants;

(2) Enter into agreements with government and university officials of any other state or foreign country to provide for reciprocal waiver of the nonresident tuition and fee differential;

(3) Waive the nonresident tuition and fee differential for selected students from Pacific and Asian jurisdictions when their presence would be beneficial to the university or the State;

(4) Waive entirely or reduce the tuition fee or any of the other fees for students, resident or nonresident; and

(5) Waive the nonresident tuition and fee differential for members in good standing of the following military units, regardless of their actual state of residence:

(A) The Hawaii national guard; and

(B) The federal reserve components of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard who attend drills with units located within the State.

(c) Beginning with the 2019-2020 academic year, the board shall waive the nonresident tuition and fee differential for a student who:

(1) Has served in the United States Navy on an active ship or ship decommissioned after 2000 that is named after a person, place, or word associated with Hawaii; and

(2) Was relieved or discharged from that service with an honorable discharge.

(d) Any person who served in the United States Navy on an active ship or ship decommissioned after 2000 that is named after a person, place, or word associated with Hawaii and who receives federal tuition benefits in excess of the tuition and fees the person is charged at a University of Hawaii campus, including any community college, shall pay tuition and fees equal to the federal tuition benefits received.

(e) The board shall determine the percentage of allowable tuition and fee waivers for financial need and other university priorities. These tuition waivers and waivers of the nonresident tuition and fee differential shall be awarded in accordance with guidelines established by the board."

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2019.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Veterans; In-state Tuition; University of Hawaii

Description:

Requires the board of regents of the University of Hawaii to waive the nonresident tuition and fee differential for veterans of the United States Navy who served on an active ship or ship decommissioned after 2000 that is named after a person, place, or word associated with Hawaii.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.