HI HR157

Urges University of Hawaii to offer students from certain Pacific Island nations a reduced tuition rate equivalent to 100% of the resident tuition rate (currently the reduced rate for most qualifying islands is 150% of resident tuition).

Currently, students from American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Cook Islands, Futuna, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Wallis receive tuition at 150% of the resident rate.

Students from the Freely Associated States (Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Republic of Palau) already receive tuition at 100% of the resident rate.

Proposes expanding the resident-rate tuition benefit to a more comprehensive list of Pacific Island neighbors to increase educational access and cross-cultural exchange.

Requires transmission of a certified copy of the resolution to the President of the University of Hawaii System.