CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 83-12

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2012

 

RE:    S.B. No. 243

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sirs:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 243, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE WESTERN INTERSTATE COMMISSION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION,"

 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Establish the Hawaii Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (Hawaii WICHE);

 

     (2)  Allow Hawaii WICHE to establish a repayment policy for students who receive financial support from certain funds appropriated for the Hawaii WICHE professional student exchange program; and

 

     (3)  Establish a professional student exchange program special fund.

 

     Your Committee on Conference finds that chapter 304A, part VII, subpart D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, currently provides for the appointment of state commissioners to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) but does not allow the Hawaii commissioners to independently set conditions on students who participate in the professional student exchange program (PSEP).  This measure will establish and define the Hawaii WICHE and give it the necessary authority to develop a repayment policy for PSEP students who receive financial support from PSEP.

 

Currently five WICHE states have return requirements for students who benefit from participation in the PSEP.  Studies find that states with these requirements have an average rate of return of seventy-four percent and states without return requirements have an average rate of return of thirty-nine percent.  Your Committee on Conference believes that this measure will increase the likelihood of PSEP students returning to Hawaii.

 

In 2010, the State spent $1,064,465 to subsidize the cost of professional education for Hawaii students in fields of study unavailable at local universities but in high demand in the State. The Hawaii WICHE commissioners should have the option of establishing return requirements to best meet the needs of the students and the State.

 

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by making it effective on July 1, 2012.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 243, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 243, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

 


Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

____________________________

SCOTT NISHIMOTO, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

JILL TOKUDA, Chair

____________________________

JAMES KUNANE TOKIOKA, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Co-Chair