STAND. COM. REP. NO. 305

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 581

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 581 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide tuition refunds at the University of Hawaii (UH) for qualified children of certain rescue and emergency personnel, law enforcement, and military personnel killed in the line of duty or declared prisoners of war or missing in action.

Specifically, the measure provides tuition refunds to:

(1) Rescue and emergency personnel;

(2) Members of the Hawaii National Guard or military reserve who are called into active duty; and

(2) Active duty military personnel, who are unable to attend college for more than sixty days in a semester as a result of their military duties.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from two individuals. Your Committee received comments from the Department of the Defense and the UH.

Your Committee finds that this measure will assure that the sacrifice of a public servant's life is recognized, and that their children will be partly compensated for the loss of a parent by receiving the financial support for college that this parent could have provided.

Your Committee finds that the war in Iraq and the epidemic of "ice" in Hawaii have increase the chances that our law enforcement and military personnel may have to sacrifice their lives in the line of duty. The tuition refund here is a small but significant effort by the State to assist the families of those who die, become prisoners of war, or are declared missing in action in the line of duty. Your Committee also finds that the tuition refund for military personnel who are mobilized and miss significant portions of the semester is appropriate.

Testimony of the UH indicates that it recognizes the significance of the contribution made by members of law enforcement and military personnel and the importance of their safety to the service of citizens. The UH currently provides refunds at the request of members of the Hawaii National Guard and military reserve who are called to active duty, as well as military personnel already on active duty who are unable to attend college due to military obligations. The UH has the authority to provide these refunds and has consistently done so. Any monies refunded are limited to those paid by the student out-of-pocket and do not include third-party payments, such as financial aid from the federal government.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 581 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair