RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION.
HB91 would create a set of University of Hawaii programs and positions aimed at helping post-secondary students meet basic needs, with a particular focus on students experiencing homelessness. The bill establishes a homeless student stability program that would award grants to UH campuses for identifying and supporting homeless students, including assistance with groceries, hygiene items, tutoring, temporary housing, healthcare reimbursements, and job-training resources. It also creates a homeless student housing resource program to fund partnerships with housing support organizations that help students and their family members secure stable housing near campus, including rental assistance, transportation, emergency shelter, case management, and homelessness prevention.
In addition, the bill requires at least one benefits navigator at each UH campus to help students access public benefits, emergency aid, and community resources, and it directs each campus to develop a hunger-free and basic needs strategic plan. Those plans would address food pantry policy, outreach to food-insecure and low-income students, community partnerships, and funding needs. The bill also requires an annual student survey on food security, housing security, and access to basic economic support, along with annual campus reporting and periodic program reviews to assess outcomes and adjust services.
HB91 would amend chapter 304A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by adding new UH-specific statutory programs and reporting requirements focused on homelessness, housing stability, food insecurity, and basic needs support. It would also appropriate general funds for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to implement and administer these services, including funding for campus grants, housing support grants, benefits navigator positions, and a UH system coordinator position. The bill would affect the University of Hawaii system, its campuses, partner nonprofit and housing organizations, and students experiencing homelessness or basic needs insecurity.
The bill’s framing and structure suggest strong support for student welfare, housing stability, and access to basic needs, with an emphasis on equity and evidence-informed practices. The available context shows no recorded votes or committee testimony, so there is no documented opposition or amendment history in the materials provided. Overall, the bill appears to be presented as a proactive higher-education support measure rather than a controversial policy change.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided transcripts or voting history. Based on the text alone, likely areas of debate could include the cost of the appropriations, the administrative burden on campuses, the use of grant funds for direct aid versus existing services, and the data collection/reporting requirements for students and partner organizations. The bill also emphasizes prioritizing organizations and campuses that address racial inequities and use trauma-informed, culturally responsive approaches, which could be a policy focus for discussion, but no explicit objections are shown in the record provided.