CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 79

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2015

RE:    S.B. No. 374

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 374, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DUAL CREDIT PROGRAMS,"

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 expand opportunities for high school students to earn high school and college credits simultaneously by:

     (1)  Broadening current law to include all dual credit programs;

     (2)  Broadening eligibility to participate in the program;

     (3)  Allowing for multiple measures of assessment to determine eligibility; and

     (4)  Appropriating funds for the instruction, courses, and administration of college credits, thus allowing broader participation by various types of students.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that students who participate in dual credit programs are more likely to attend college and are more likely to earn a degree.  The dual credit initiative will alleviate some financial obstacles associated with earning college credits, and may help high school students understand that college is a possibility for them. 

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting language making home-schooled high school students eligible for the dual credit program established under the Department of Education;

     (2)  Deleting language mandating that student qualifications be uniform across all campuses that offer qualified courses;

     (3)  Deleting language appropriating funds to provide the Department of Education with staff and resources to administer the dual credit program;

     (4)  Deleting language appropriating funds to provide the University of Hawaii with staff and resources to administer the dual credit program;

     (5)  Making this measure effective upon its approval; and

     (6)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     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. 374, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 374, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ ROY M. TAKUMI, Co-Chair	____________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair
____________________________ LINDA ICHIYAMA, Co-Chair	____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair
____________________________ LYNN DECOITE, Co-Chair	____________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Co-Chair