HCR53 • 2026

REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII BOARD OF REGENTS TO CONDUCT A SYSTEMWIDE ASSOCIATE DEGREE COMPLETION AUDIT.

Active

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

Sponsor: GARRETT, AMATO, IWAMOTO, KAHALOA, KUSCH, MARTEN, MIYAKE, OLDS, PERRUSO, REYES ODA, TAKAYAMA
Last action: 2026-05-08
Official status: Received notice of Adoption in House (Hse. Com. No. 891).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII BOARD OF REGENTS TO CONDUCT A SYSTEMWIDE ASSOCIATE DEGREE COMPLETION AUDIT.

What This Bill Does

REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII BOARD OF REGENTS TO CONDUCT A SYSTEMWIDE ASSOCIATE DEGREE COMPLETION AUDIT.
University of Hawaii; Board of Regents; Audit; Associate Degrees

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: HCR53 SD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.C.R.

HCR53 SD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.C.R.
NO.
53 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII BOARD OF REGENTS TO CONDUCT A SYSTEMWIDE ASSOCIATE DEGREE COMPLETION AUDIT.

Bill History

2026-05-08 S
Received notice of Adoption in House (Hse. Com. No. 891).
2026-05-08 H
Resolution adopted in final form.
2026-05-08 H
Adopted as amended in SD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Hussey, Kong, Quinlan excused (3).
2026-05-08 H
House agrees to Senate amendment(s).
2026-05-06 H
One (1) day notice, Friday, 05-08-26.
2026-04-24 H
Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 748) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-04-24 S
Report and Resolution Adopted, as amended (SD 1). Transmitted to House.
2026-04-23 S
One Day Notice 04-24-26.
2026-04-23 S
Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3904) with recommendation of adoption, as amended (SD 1).
2026-04-20 S
The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Kidani, Fukunaga.
2026-04-17 S
The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 04-20-26 1:01PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2026-04-16 S
Re-Referred to EDU.
2026-04-10 S
Referred to EDU, WAM.
2026-04-01 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 450).
2026-03-31 H
Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-31 H
Adopted with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Nakamura, Perruso excused (2).
2026-03-31 H
Reported from HED (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1580-26), recommending adoption.
2026-03-25 H
The committee on HED recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Garrett, Amato, Kapela, Kila, La Chica, Olds, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Evslin, Woodson, Muraoka.
2026-03-23 H
Resolution scheduled to be heard by HED on Wednesday, 03-25-26 2:30PM in conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-18 H
Referred to HED, referral sheet 18
2026-03-16 H
Offered
2026-03-12 H
To be offered.

Official Summary Text

REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII BOARD OF REGENTS TO CONDUCT A SYSTEMWIDE ASSOCIATE DEGREE COMPLETION AUDIT.
University of Hawaii; Board of Regents; Audit; Associate Degrees

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HCR53

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

53

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

requesting the university of hawaii board of regents to
conduct a systemwide associate degree completion audit
.

����
WHEREAS, increasing
postsecondary degree attainment strengthens Hawaii's workforce, supports
economic mobility, and improves long-term economic resilience; and

����
WHEREAS, many
students accumulate substantial college credits but leave the University of
Hawaii system without receiving a credential; and

����
WHEREAS, students
who have earned sufficient credits to meet associate degree requirements may
not receive a degree due to transfer patterns, financial hardship, life
circumstances, or administrative barriers; and

����
WHEREAS, awarding
earned credentials recognizes student achievement, improves workforce
readiness, and enhances statewide degree attainment metrics; and

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WHEREAS, reverse
transfer and degree audit initiatives have been implemented in other states to
identify students eligible for associate degree awards after transferring or
stopping out; and

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WHEREAS, section
304A-105, Hawaii Revised Statutes, grants the University of Hawaii Board of
Regents exclusive jurisdiction over the internal structure, management, and
operation of the University; now, therefore,

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BE IT
RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the
State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, the Senate concurring, that the
University of Hawaii Board of Regents is requested to conduct a systemwide
audit to identify current and former students who have accumulated sufficient
academic credits to qualify for an associate degree but have not been awarded the
credential; and

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BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that, as part of the audit, the University of Hawaii is requested to
examine students who:

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(1)
�
Transferred from a University of Hawaii
community college to a four-year campus before completing an associate degree;
and

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(2)
�
Began at a four-year campus within the
University of Hawaii system and accumulated sufficient credits to meet
associate degree requirements prior to stopping or withdrawing; and

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BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the Board of Regents is requested to develop recommendations, if
feasible, to establish or expand pathways for awarding earned associate degrees
to eligible students, including consideration of reverse transfer mechanisms,
degree audit processes, residency requirements, accreditation considerations,
and fiscal impact; and

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BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the University of Hawaii is requested to submit the audit,
including any findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation, to the
Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the Regular Session of 2027; and

����
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the
Chairperson of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents and President of the
University of Hawaii.

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:
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University
of Hawaii; Board of Regents; Audit; Associate Degrees