RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT HILO.

Budget Education

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: GARRETT, KAHALOA, KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY, KILA, OLDS
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify how the funds will be used beyond allocating them to specific positions and initiatives.

Funding for University of Hawaii at Hilo

This bill appropriates funds to support a retention coordinator, an internship coordinator, and student enrollment management initiatives at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

What This Bill Does

Appropriates $507,500 for fiscal year 2025-2026 and $790,000 for fiscal year 2026-2027 to support the University of Hawaii at Hilo.
Allocates funds specifically for one retention coordinator position, one internship coordinator position, and student enrollment management initiatives.

Who It Names or Affects

The University of Hawaii at Hilo

Terms To Know

Retention Coordinator: A person whose job is to help students stay in school and not drop out.
Internship Coordinator: A person who helps arrange internships for students, which are temporary jobs where they can learn about a career field.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how the funds will be used beyond allocating them to specific positions and initiatives.
It is unclear if this funding alone will solve the university's enrollment issues.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment provides funding for a retention coordinator, an internship coordinator, and student enrollment management initiatives at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

Appropriates funds for one retention coordinator position to help retain students.
Allocates money for one internship coordinator position to support student internships.
Provides financial resources for student enrollment management initiatives.

The exact dollar amounts for the appropriations are not specified in the amendment text.
The effective date of July 1, 3000 is likely a placeholder and needs to be corrected.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-10 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Belatti, Cochran, Kila, Ward excused (4).
2025-02-10 H
Reported from HED (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 309) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2025-02-05 H
The committee on HED recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 11 Ayes: Representative(s) Garrett, Amato, Evslin, Kapela, Kila, La Chica, Olds, Sayama, Woodson, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-01-31 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HED on Wednesday, 02-05-25 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to HED, FIN, referral sheet 2
2025-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-17 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT HILO.
University of Hawaii at Hilo; Retention Coordinator; Internship Coordinator; Enrollment Management; Appropriation ($)
Appropriates funds for one retention coordinator position, one internship coordinator position, and student enrollment management initiatives at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB443

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

443

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to thE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT HILO
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that the
university of Hawaii at Hilo was one of only two university of Hawaii campuses
that experienced a declining enrollment rate in the fall 2023 semester, marking
the third consecutive year of declining fall enrollment.
�
University of Hawaii at Hilo officials have
cited the school's limited brand exposure outside of Hawaii, difficultly retaining
students from the mainland, and an increase in online educational opportunities
as factors contributing to the school's enrollment issues.
�
Despite these challenges, the university of
Hawaii's requests for funding for positions and initiatives directly related to
addressing student enrollment and retention have not been included in the governor's
executive budget.
�
The legislature
further finds that these positions and initiatives are vital to ensuring that
the school has the necessary staff and resources to retain students and bolster
enrollment.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds for
one
retention coordinator position, one internship coordinator position, and
student enrollment management initiatives at the university of Hawaii at Hilo.

����
SECTION
2.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $507,500 or so much thereof
as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and $790,000 or so much thereof
as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for one retention coordinator
position, one internship coordinator position, and student enrollment
management initiatives at the university of Hawaii at Hilo; provided that the
sums appropriated shall be expended as follows:

����
(1)
�
$37,500 for fiscal year 2025-2026 and $75,000
for fiscal year 2026-2027 for a retention coordinator;

����
(2)
�
$37,500 for fiscal year 2025-2026 and $75,000
for fiscal year 2026-2027 for an internship coordinator; and

����
(3)
�
$432,500 for fiscal year 2025-2026 and
$640,000 for fiscal year 2026-2027 for student enrollment management
initiatives.

����
The sums

appropriated shall be expended by the
university of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

University
of Hawaii at Hilo; Retention Coordinator; Internship Coordinator; Enrollment
Management; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates
funds for one retention coordinator position, one internship coordinator
position, and student enrollment management initiatives at the University of
Hawaii at Hilo.

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