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Conference committee approves multiple University of Hawaii and education funding measures; several bills deferred
Summary
A Joint House and Senate Conference on Higher Education on April 24 approved conference drafts for multiple University of Hawaii and education bills — including appropriations for West Oʻahu staffing, John A. Burns School of Medicine positions and school meals — while several items were rolled to April 25 for finalization.
A Joint House and Senate Conference on Higher Education met April 24, 2025, in Conference Room 229 and approved conference drafts on several university and education-related measures while deferring other items for further review.
The conferees approved Senate Bill 15-02 relating to the University of Hawaii – West Oʻahu. The conference draft funds faculty staffing and student supports: $195,000 in salaries for FY2026 and $195,000 in FY2027 (covering one half-time FTE and one full-time FTE) and $270,000 for each of FY2026 and FY2027 to support student internship programs, certification and software at the University of West Oʻahu. The committee proceeded to a roll-call vote and recorded passage of the agreed CD.
Conference members also approved House Bill 718 (John A. Burns School of Medicine), agreeing to CD1 that provides four positions: three faculty FTEs (cardiovascular biology, tropical medicine and quantitative health/biostatistics) and one environmental health and safety officer. The CD1 appropriates $763,000 for each of the next two fiscal years and sets a clean effective date of July 1, 2025.
A group of University of Hawaii bills also moved through the committee with agreed changes. House Bill 11-69 HD1 SD2 (Conference Center Revolving Fund) advanced with a CD that removed an appropriation section and adopted a clean effective date. House Bill 11-70 HD1 SD1 was amended in CD1 to shorten the tuition look-back period to two years. House Bill 11-71 HD2 SD1 (UH relief funding) advanced with a CD that caps the relief fund at $3,000,000 and sets a clean effective date.
On health-related appropriations, House Bill 1300 HD1 SD1 (relating to cancer) was approved in CD1, which includes an appropriation of $500,000 per year while removing a federal-match requirement and directing the cancer center to seek alternative funding sources.
In the K–12 and early-childhood portfolio, the conferees approved Senate Bill 1300 SD1 HD1 relating to school meals. CD1 appropriates $565,000 for FY26 and $565,000 for FY27 for the Department of Education to provide free meals to students based on economic need and appropriates $2,800,000 for FY27 for meal subsidies targeting families classified as ALICE (asset limited, income constrained, employed households). The CD1 includes a clean effective date of July 1, 2025.
Conference members approved Senate Bill 423 (Early Learning Board) and Senate Bill 532 (Department of Education procurement/operations) on their CD1s; both items were recorded as passed by the conferees during the session.
Several items were not finalized and were rolled over for further work. House Bill 549 (early learning apprenticeship grant program), Senate Bill 1252 (dementia), House Bill 1168 (UH revenue bonds) and other bills were deferred to April 25 in Room 229 (either 01:30 PM or 03:05 PM) to allow finalization of conference drafts and receipt of required finance releases.
What happens next: bills approved by the conference committee with agreed CD1 language will be processed according to legislative procedures and, where the CD specifies, have clean effective dates (commonly July 1, 2025). Deferred bills were scheduled for additional conference consideration on April 25 in Room 229.
Sources: live conference committee proceedings, Joint House and Senate Conference on Higher Education, April 24, 2025 (Conference Room 229).
