[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6286620,"mediaKeyId","2557418-7f106b5f894adc0952b6b8879eafc105","parentId",2557418,"title","Committee passes bill allowing UH Board of Regents to use tuition fund for emergency student aid","audioSeconds",790,"startMs",2710000,"endMs",3500000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2557418-7f106b5f894adc0952b6b8879eafc105&start=2710&end=3500","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2557418-7f106b5f894adc0952b6b8879eafc105/thumbnail_2710000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6286620/Hawaii/Committee-passes-bill-allowing-UH-Board-of-Regents-to-use-tuition-fund-for-emergency-student-aid","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286620-1680757cbc3e45fc53c4f86027cc871e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770783533&Signature=oapNMn2UrOvElW1rHG6uaWDc3NR9mgLdVbOio5RmeVjnDtXo1RPNlz3F1ytN1QtDE45V6aRFFUS0xdu3tBFcH3GqRXJU2PCcR9PwNGTWHkvM5SryQqX4U4PIq2DoOmNjNCw3LDYlKeuPg7qAVV94jgER2aPPRgBwViC7eM97XOB2MBbTF6M1oDjFnophkYtErqMF7iRegRTtVUIbMlY3fUcJcC97m7juc25lx7gZ9gHb4IrjpwWKUDCofvydzbxCm2KcbA6ICADlXul6ZJ3PT4ERMej7VT4Y4sGaNm2uvm575ilzejPhdCxcVonukPI7gsxFsXVRvlLDehysUBbzPw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Senate Committee on Higher Education","date","2025-03-08T00:02:01Z","article","On March 11 the Senate Committee on Higher Education passed House Bill 1171, which would allow the University of Hawaii Board of Regents to use money in the University of Hawaii Tuition and Fee Special Fund for student aid in response to an emergency or disaster declared by the governor.

Deborah Halbert, the university's vice president for academic strategy, testified that the university supports the bill and that Associate Vice President Farrah Gomes could address technical questions. Ronald (Arnold) Sturgis, representing the University of Hawaii Student Caucus, testified in strong support and said students view the bill favorably because it provides an existing mechanism for urgent student aid without requiring a new appropriation. \"As students... we kind of see this as a really nice bill because it asks for no appropriations,\" Sturgis said.

Committee discussion clarified that a prior four‑year tuition promise for some Lahaina students after the wildfires was funded by private donor foundation dollars, not this fund. Farrah Gomes confirmed on the record that the Lahaina tuition support cited in testimony came from foundation gifts, not the Tuition and Fee Special Fund.

Nut graf: The bill expands the Board of Regents' authority to deploy tuition‑fund resources for student aid in governor‑declared emergencies; student leaders supported the change and the committee approved the measure without amendment.

Ending: The committee adopted HB 1171 as recommended and will advance it; the transcript records that the measure does not create a new ongoing appropriation and that it applies to current University of Hawaii students in emergency circumstances.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","HRE Public Hearing 03-11-2025","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 1171 permits the University of Hawaii Board of Regents to use the tuition and fee special fund for student aid in response to a governor‑declared emergency; student leaders supported the bill and the committee approved it unamended.","taxTitle","Senate Committee on Higher Education, Senate, Legislative , Hawaii","taxId",25732,"location","Hawaii","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6286623,"Committee advances bill to create UH graduate‑outcomes dashboard, flags funding and data access concerns",1858,1650000,3508000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2557418-7f106b5f894adc0952b6b8879eafc105&start=1650&end=3508","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2557418-7f106b5f894adc0952b6b8879eafc105/thumbnail_1650000.jpg","/articles/6286623/Hawaii/Committee-advances-bill-to-create-UH-graduateoutcomes-dashboard-flags-funding-and-data-access-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286623-5bb1ee3e07211c491d78a9515b931d90/orig.mp4?Expires=1770783533&Signature=o0F66V6~quKVTnFPyOo9lxragOqtZH1QirK71e4e8pASONhRI3ac1v-5ha~Ac0iEa8-iaz5Fa9r9qvjM64AF9LZNY~Dp0fjbbYWE38C7vBiBssB4qusoA2vBQWp3~31SPytvNbQ7YpHkBiAU8oSeEyX79A8HzN3ORp0clU9OyT6AfT6maQw40Oeej2fGav1-Hs0t3irA1aDr8scQ1mtCTCWJRL8mE~aWsi5AnFifp8nXW00d2dRknOPe3ykdcB157vBvhIwhFoz6xI9wOMRhpRH3bVqNdQhlT~6-Ic8hQbkCaji3AMJ6sYhK95eenBejhTUZJczrdYNimWvSqEwENw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Committee on Higher Education on March 11 voted to advance House Bill 1320, which would require the University of Hawaii system to collect, analyze and publicly report graduate‑outcome data via a consolidated dashboard. The committee amended the committee report to note concerns about funding and data access and set the defective effective date to July 31, 2050 before referring the bill to Ways and Means because it contains appropriations.

Deborah Halbert, vice president for academic strategy at the University of Hawaii, told the committee the university \"stand[s] on our written testimony\" and that the intent of the bill is to consolidate and better promote existing outcome data for families who may not be comfortable navigating multiple data sources. Halbert said the system currently maintains multiple dashboards and cited limits in institutional capacity for data visualization and workforce‑focused analytics.

Halbert described staffing gaps: the university had hired a new workforce director but lacks capacity to pursue a comprehensive postgraduate outcome product and lacks a dedicated data‑visualization specialist in institutional research. \"For consistent, high quality help, we would want to have somebody we could train and have on staff to help, really look through how we visualize our data,\" Halbert said.

Members questioned whether existing university positions or students could be used instead of adding staff, and whether the university could redirect performance funds. Halbert said some work is currently being done by graduate students and foundation funds but that sustained, professional capacity would likely require dedicated positions and stable funding. She also noted that access to some statewide databases, including tax data, was the subject of other bills this session and that full post‑graduation pictures remain incomplete without broader data access.

Nut graf: The committee advanced HB 1320 with instructions to document concerns about cost and data access and forwarded it to Ways and Means for consideration of appropriations. Supporters and members voiced caution about adding permanent positions without stable funding and about limits on the data the university can currently access.

Ending: The committee voted to advance the bill; the transcript records discussion of using interns and existing staff for some tasks, the potential need for two positions (workforce analytics and data visualization), and interplay with other bills that could provide broader statewide data access.","House Bill 1320 would require the University of Hawaii to collect and publish consolidated graduate‑outcome data and requests funding for staff and visualization capacity; the committee passed the bill to Ways and Means with a delayed effective date and asked that concerns about funding and data access be noted in the report.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6286628,"Committee defers bill to study plant‑based building materials after debate over working‑group need and cost",2542,899000,3441000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2557418-7f106b5f894adc0952b6b8879eafc105&start=899&end=3441","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2557418-7f106b5f894adc0952b6b8879eafc105/thumbnail_899000.jpg","/articles/6286628/Hawaii/Committee-defers-bill-to-study-plantbased-building-materials-after-debate-over-workinggroup-need-and-cost","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286628-90e471d2905818e98768a06675f8a13f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770783533&Signature=fjjEfHCp8WMFcHGEUlwQVzbTBwsn2yjG-rj5lwc9h2sgdhDaE9BkS6RTIfC0y20PdS3gD2yPaGX1LsSunuwjYayeDlpjwAylF1Pl7FOMg~dI0UkwPDw5FACKCbCyAftUBe0HoCIDpP~b8CNn78kA47C5~krH4yNfhrJwNE~4iqK5zXy5mzMXfJCiiB1eaakEnsOlVo2mO8juB8yNmTXQerM9DV5AFV2waFdtw2uaccQIlSctNXvStCr4wwno6CwHwgtcNvCdCIphrH7MnTOC33lo0vvu-RW6Hk0j6CHupxQZvPDztGxqcg9KWE4pLieSewJOi-GSwq~yfk~ug~Ft6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Committee on Higher Education on March 11 deferred House Bill 1185, a proposal to create a plant‑based building materials working group to study how best to grow and develop plant‑based construction materials in Hawai‘i.

Parwinder, a Department of Agriculture representative, said the department \"support[s] the intent of this bill\" but requested baseline research before forming a larger working group. \"We do have a comment that we need to develop some baseline data research so that we can be more informed before we develop a larger working group on this,\" Parwinder told the committee.

Ted Bolen of the Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition and Climate Protectors Hawaii testified in strong support and described economic and climate benefits, noting fast‑growing clumping bamboo and potential hempcrete and biocements as alternatives to timber, steel and cement. \"We have an opportunity here in Hawaii to develop a homegrown building materials with plants industry with green jobs in both agriculture and production,\" Bolen said.

Members questioned whether the university or industry could convene stakeholders without a statutory working group and expressed concern about cost. CTAHR (the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources) was noted by members as an existing research resource. Parwinder estimated an analysis could cost about $150,000 over two years to evaluate candidate crops, marginal lands and policy implications and to produce a final report.

Nut graf: Supporters described potential climate and economic benefits from developing local plant‑based building materials, but committee members questioned whether a legislatively mandated working group — and the bill's proposed appropriation — were necessary given existing research capabilities at UH and industry interest. The committee deferred the bill.

Ending: The bill was deferred from the committee's calendar for further consideration; the transcript records requests for baseline research, a proposed $150,000, two‑year analysis, and debate over whether a working group or university‑led effort is the better next step.","House Bill 1185, which would establish a working group to study plant‑based building materials grown and produced in Hawai‘i, was deferred after testimony supporting the bill's intent but questioning the need for a legislatively created working group and discussion of a proposed $150,000, 2‑year appropriation for baseline analysis.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6286632,"Senate committee passes housekeeping bill to consolidate UH conference center funds",2559,827000,3386000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2557418-7f106b5f894adc0952b6b8879eafc105&start=827&end=3386","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2557418-7f106b5f894adc0952b6b8879eafc105/thumbnail_827000.jpg","/articles/6286632/Hawaii/Senate-committee-passes-housekeeping-bill-to-consolidate-UH-conference-center-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286632-d6ed84f23c09b7cac36039d688bf219f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770783533&Signature=lA9u8Lp79HF2Ho0XCO0DVHPzyj88SnqpE4B3g60LsX7PwE7hc~6J61E6bhuniPqOmI4VnomRfVFjvNxGdxD9w5NhLNu3-jgMePG9YrGhw1~6~Ww61ti686S~nruM5R8QBGr1scv1qs9pEzo5n2xNkKUjxZ8TgoWw2RMdUQeIwsGqnZt-ExP9Va-YKVek0VzwBqKhIQ6zUJB-xZ6Tsw4vZfzckvJw4OpsfGr8px1q7lXbI8LMVr6shOpA9Rg2fqAR6cId24JzEEKf3jLvaplI0YPZFgxD48bNm~zhQ5JtJ53Ozo5AMV~NA-JJ7NJdHLs9U4snwyGAy7-OB~RHPJNjEg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Committee on Higher Education on March 11 passed House Bill 1169, which consolidates two existing conference-center statutes into a single Conference Center Revolving Fund statute and repeals the duplicate provision. The measure primarily updates statutory housekeeping across University of Hawaii campuses that operate conference centers.

Calvert Young, speaking for the university, described the bill as a housekeeping measure that \"consolidates them into 1 conference center fund statute and then allows for all of the campuses to use a centralized fund.\" The committee's recommendation included an amendment to change the bill's effective date to \"upon approval.\"

Nut graf: The bill removes duplicate statutory language for conference centers (Hilo and the community colleges) and centralizes authority over a single revolving fund intended to allow campuses to share conference-center revenue and expenditures. Committee members signaled urgency to clear the item from their docket.

Committee members voted to pass the bill with the effective-date amendment; no further policy debate or dollar-figure discussions were recorded during the committee's decision session.

Ending: The measure was adopted and will move forward with the amended effective date. The committee did not discuss operational policy changes or specific financial projections on the record.","The committee passed House Bill 1169 to repeal and consolidate duplicate University of Hawaii conference center statutes into a single revolving fund statute and changed the effective date to upon approval.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6286636,"Senate committee amends UH nursing funding bill to match Senate language",2614,676000,3290000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2557418-7f106b5f894adc0952b6b8879eafc105&start=676&end=3290","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2557418-7f106b5f894adc0952b6b8879eafc105/thumbnail_676000.jpg","/articles/6286636/Hawaii/Senate-committee-amends-UH-nursing-funding-bill-to-match-Senate-language","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286636-a9e230955fe9ae6ff1d0ab23148d5b85/orig.mp4?Expires=1770783533&Signature=kTS7JBvZsU8iC8~D8-9KO7SRPChIlgCqd8iiitgLHWjZIZOAg~UoVO6tez2EI-P2xYz2A9CCmaXmAd6fHjRDHvIMciS9VA6eK6Bk82fzvREEG79-IVp-JF-q1bJwZdxhk0Ms1~cx3dNZM1Ey7lkKv~6g7Dpo2OgYBBQYHjg3mf2MD6Hsbo9uSOB1HdzXBkl2NJ7CHeTMgY5Zg3812LGDZMJxh140udbCWB9SlJGeV3Dc6Q7qV8AP4zU3bWJMTEUZuWJHCIuJ1NqjBiMTz42PC79bMkqQ9nBDY6-kVpn1EBP0qvzvxN8Izrt~5ZPjwlM6BTPD9sCxtbRQbEIk-C13yA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Committee on Higher Education on March 11 amended House Bill 442, which appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii system for nursing programs, by inserting the language of Senate Bill 637 and adopted the amended measure.

The amendment was adopted during the committee's decision-making session after the university testified in support. \"This testimony is presented on behalf of the University of Hawaii system, including the Manoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, West Oahu, and Hilo School of Nursing, in strong support of this measure,\" a University of Hawaii representative said during testimony and offered to answer questions.

Support for the measure was also recorded from multiple individuals and organizations listed in written testimony, and AlohaCare indicated strong support through Mike Gwen, who testified on Zoom. No members of the committee asked substantive questions of the university during the public-testimony portion.

Nut graf: The committee approved amending HB 442 by replacing its text with SB 637, the Senate nursing funding measure the university supported, moving the package forward in the legislative process. The change formalizes alignment between the House and Senate nursing proposals.

Committee action occurred in a business session after public testimony. Chair Kim announced the committee would \"insert Senate Bill 637, replace the language in 442 with the language in 637.\" The committee then recorded affirmative votes from the chair and multiple members and noted one member excused.

The bill as amended will proceed in the legislative process; the committee did not produce additional substantive amendments or record further debate on program details during the vote.

Ending: The committee adopted the amendment and passed the measure as amended. Further fiscal and program-level details — such as specific dollar amounts per campus or program timeline — were not discussed on the record during the vote and are not specified in the committee transcript.","The Senate Committee on Higher Education amended House Bill 442 to replace its language with Senate Bill 637 and approved the measure after testimony from University of Hawaii representatives and health-sector supporters.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee passes bill allowing UH Board of Regents to use tuition fund for emergency student aid

Committee advances bill to create UH graduate‑outcomes dashboard, flags funding and data access concerns

Committee defers bill to study plant‑based building materials after debate over working‑group need and cost

Senate committee passes housekeeping bill to consolidate UH conference center funds

Senate committee amends UH nursing funding bill to match Senate language