HI HB2016

Board of Regents must grant full tuition waivers for Native Hawaiian and Hawaiian students enrolled at any University of Hawaii system campus.

Students must possess a card issued by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs identifying them as registered in the Hawaiian Registry under section 10-19 to qualify for the waiver.

The legislature cites Native Hawaiians' unique historical, cultural, and political relationship with Hawaii and references similar tuition waiver programs for indigenous populations in Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, and Montana.

The bill notes the University of Hawaii has not fully paid its obligations for use of public trust lands designated for Native Hawaiian betterment, framing the tuition waiver as partial rectification of historic shortcomings.

The University of Hawaii must adopt administrative rules to implement the tuition waiver program.