HI HB869

Expands the Hawaiʻi Community College Promise Program to guarantee scholarships for all qualified students enrolled at University of Hawaiʻi community college campuses, removing the previous limitation that awards were contingent on available funding and distributed on a greatest need basis

Eligible students must qualify for Hawaiʻi resident tuition, complete FAFSA (unless in a certificate program), enroll in at least 6 credits per semester in a classified degree or certificate program, maintain satisfactory academic progress, and have unmet direct cost needs

Scholarships cover unmet direct costs after Pell grants and other scholarships are applied, with a maximum eligibility of 8 semesters per student

Appropriates $20,000,000 from general revenues for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same amount for fiscal year 2026-2027 to fund the program expansion

Takes effect July 1, 2025