HB 2501 Summary

• Establishes the Hawaii Community College Promise Program administered by the University of Hawaii Board of Regents to provide scholarships for unmet direct costs of qualified students at any UH community college campus.

• Student eligibility requires Hawaii residency, completion of Free Application for Federal Student Aid, enrollment in a classified degree or certificate program with minimum six credits per semester, satisfactory academic progress, and demonstrated unmet direct cost needs.

• Scholarships awarded on a greatest need basis for a maximum of eight semesters, with award amounts equal to unmet direct costs after accounting for Pell grants and other scholarships.

• Appropriates $700,000 from general revenues for fiscal year 2018-2019 to establish and implement the program, including scholarship provision at all community college campuses.

• Requires University of Hawaii to submit annual reports to the legislature no later than twenty days before each regular session regarding the number of scholarships provided.