Report Title:

University Tuition Waivers; Spouses & Children; Law enforcement Officers

Description:

Requires the University of Hawaii system to offer full tuition waivers to spouses and children of Hawaii law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2251

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO TUITION WAIVERS.

 

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

SECTION 1. Section 304-16.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§304-16.5 University of Hawaii tuition and fees special fund; tuition schedule and waivers. (a) There is established the University of Hawaii tuition and fees special fund into which shall be deposited all revenue collected by the university for regular, summer, and continuing education credit tuition, tuition related course and fee charges, and any other charges to students, except as provided by law. Moneys deposited into the fund shall be expended to maintain or improve the university's programs and operations and shall not be:

(1) Used as a justification for reducing any budget request or allotment to the University of Hawaii unless the university requests such a reduction;

(2) Transferred unless otherwise authorized by the legislature; and

(3) Restricted by the governor or the director of finance without the prior approval of the legislature.

Any rule, policy, or action of any agency or individual in contravention of this subsection shall be void as against public policy.

(b) The board of regents, or its designated representatives, is authorized to grant, modify, or suspend tuition waivers. The board shall provide tuition waivers to a surviving spouse or child of a police officer or firefighter killed in the line of duty while employed by the State or a county; provided that such spouse or child is enrolled in an undergraduate degree program and the child is less than twenty-two years of age. For the purposes of this subsection, "police officer" and "firefighter" shall have the same meaning as defined in section 88-21.

(c) The board of regents shall provide a report and make recommendations as appropriate to the legislature on all tuition waivers no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session. This report shall include but not be limited to the number of tuition waivers and scholarships, stipends, and mandatory fees granted to financially needy students from ethnic groups that are under-represented in the student population of the University of Hawaii through the Hawaii opportunity program in education.

[(c)] (d) Any law to the contrary notwithstanding, the board of regents may authorize expenditures from this fund for the purpose of generating private donations for deposit into the University of Hawaii Foundation for the purposes of the university. Any expenditure authorized pursuant to this subsection shall be for a public purpose and shall not be subject to chapters 42F, 103, 103D, and 103F. The university shall submit a comprehensive report to the legislature every regular session detailing the use of any funds authorized by the board under this subsection."

INTRODUCED BY:

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