RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION.

HB2517

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2517

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating
to Higher Education
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

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SECTION 1.
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The legislature finds that many students
enrolled in public institutions of higher education possess college-level
knowledge and skills acquired through military service, workforce training,
apprenticeships, professional certifications, and other structured learning
experiences outside of traditional classrooms.

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The legislature further finds that
inconsistent and opaque practices for evaluating prior learning may delay
degree completion, increase student costs, and create inequities among
similarly situated students.

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The legislature further finds that
appropriate recognition of prior learning may reduce time to degree, lower
educational costs, and support workforce development by enabling students,
including working adults and veterans, to efficiently complete certificates and
degrees aligned with Hawaii's workforce needs.

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The purpose of this Act is to
authorize the university of Hawaii to establish a systemwide framework for the
assessment and award of academic credit for prior learning, while preserving
faculty authority over academic standards and campus autonomy over
implementation.

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SECTION 2.
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Chapter 304A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

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�304A-
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Prior
learning assessment framework.
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(a)
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The university of Hawaii shall establish a systemwide framework to guide
the assessment of prior learning for the purpose of awarding academic credit,
where appropriate, toward certificates or degrees offered by the university.

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(b)
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The framework shall:

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(1)
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Be developed in
consultation with faculty governance bodies and academic leadership across the
university system;

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(2)
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Identify
categories of prior learning that may be eligible for assessment, which may
include but are not limited to:

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(A)
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Military
education and training;

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(B)
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Industry-recognized
credentials or certifications;

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(C)
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Registered
apprenticeships or workforce training programs;

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(D)
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Credit-by-examination
or challenge examinations; and

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(E)
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Portfolio-based
assessments evaluated by qualified faculty;

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(3)
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Establish
principles to ensure that any academic credit awarded for prior learning
reflects college-level learning outcomes equivalent to those required for
credit-bearing coursework;

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(4)
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Preserve
faculty authority over curriculum, academic standards, and the evaluation of
prior learning;

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(5)
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Permit campuses
and academic programs to determine how awarded credit may apply toward degree
or certificate requirements, including limitations on applicability to major,
elective, or general education requirements;

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(6)
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Promote
transparency and consistency in prior learning assessment practices across
campuses, to the extent practicable, including through the publication of
campus level policies or guidance regarding prior learning assessment; and

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(7)
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Include
publicly available guidance describing the general processes, assessment
methods, and categories of prior learning through which students may seek
academic credit.

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(c)
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Nothing in this section shall be construed
to:

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(1)
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Require the
award of academic credit for any particular form of prior learning;

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(2)
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Require uniform
acceptance of prior learning credit across campuses or programs;

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(3)
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Alter
admissions standards or degree requirements; or

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(4)
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Limit the
authority of faculty to determine academic rigor and equivalency.

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(d)
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The university may implement the framework in
phases or through pilot programs, as determined appropriate by the university,
including in academic or workforce aligned programs where prior learning
assessment may most effectively support student completion.
"

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SECTION 3.
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No later than twenty days prior to the
convening of the regular session of 2028, the university of Hawaii shall submit
a report to the legislature describing:

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(1)
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The status of the
prior learning assessment framework established pursuant to section 304A-
, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

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(2)
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The categories of
prior learning assessed, and the general types of academic credit awarded;

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(3)
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Aggregate data on
student participation and outcomes, including the number of students assessed,
general categories of prior learning evaluated, the approximate number of
academic credits awarded, and impacts on time-to-degree, where available;

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(4)
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Recommendations
for any proposed legislation; and

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(5)
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Any identified
implementation challenges or barriers, and recommendations to improve access,
consistency, or effectiveness of prior learning assessment.

The report shall not include personally identifiable
student information.

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SECTION 4.
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In codifying the new sections added by
section 2 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute appropriate
section numbers for the letters used in designating the new sections in this
Act.

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SECTION 5.
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New statutory material is underscored.

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SECTION 6.
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This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Higher
Education; Credit Transfer

Description:

Establishes
a statewide framework for the assessment and the award of academic credit for
prior learning acquired through military service, workforce training,
apprenticeships, professional certifications, and other structured learning
experiences outside of traditional classrooms.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.