Report Title:

Special Education; Felix Stipend Special Fund

 

Description:

Establishes the Felix stipend special fund into which shall be deposited moneys received as repayment from students who have breached their contractual agreements under the Felix stipend program.  Appropriates funds from the special fund for special education teaching programs.  (HB15 HD2)

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

15

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

H.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

 

 

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

 


SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that under the Felix stipend program and through a memorandum of agreement, special tuition waivers from the department of education are made available to qualified candidates who enroll in special education teacher preparation programs at the undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and graduate levels.  In exchange for these tuition waivers, teacher candidates agree to work for the department of education in the field of special education for a period of three to five years. 

However, since the program's inception in 1998, there have been instances of students who have not met their contractual obligations under the Felix stipend program and have therefore breached their contractual agreements with the department of education.

The purpose of this Act is to create a special fund into which shall be deposited moneys received as repayment from students who have breached their contractual agreements under the Felix stipend program.  The special fund will in turn be used to fund special education teaching programs.

SECTION 2.  Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302A-    Felix stipend special fund.  (a)  There is established the Felix stipend special fund, into which shall be deposited all moneys received as repayment from students due to a breach in contractual agreements under the Felix stipend program, which offers tuition waivers for qualified candidates who enroll at the University of Hawaii in special education teacher programs at the undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and graduate levels in exchange for employment immediately following completion of their teacher preparation program, at the department of education for a period of three to five years.

(b)  The special fund shall be administered and used by the department to provide ongoing funding for special education teaching programs."

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $      or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008 to be deposited into the Felix stipend special fund.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the Felix stipend special fund the sum of $      or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008 for special education teaching programs.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5.  New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2020.