Hawaii Senate Bill SB3158

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/28/26
• Refer: 2/2/26

Caption

RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROMISE PROGRAM.

Summary

SB3158 would revise the Hawaii Community College Promise Program, which provides scholarships to eligible University of Hawaii community college students for unmet direct costs of attendance. The bill changes how awards are calculated so that grants, scholarships, and other non-repayable aid are no longer counted against a student’s Hawaii Promise award amount. Instead, those funds could be used to help cover indirect expenses such as housing, food, and other living costs, while Hawaii Promise would focus on remaining direct educational costs. The bill also updates the program to better align with federal financial aid rules, including changes related to the Pell Grant program. It narrows and modernizes the definition of “direct cost” to include tuition, fees, books, and supplies, and adds language directing the program to coordinate with federal aid to maximize total assistance while preserving eligibility for federal aid if any conflict arises. The measure takes effect July 1, 2026, and would apply to the University of Hawaii community college system under the administration of the board of regents.

Impact

SB3158 would amend Section 304A-506, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by changing the Hawaii Community College Promise Program from a more strictly last-dollar model to a structure that excludes grants and scholarships from the award calculation. This would likely increase the amount of state promise aid some students receive and reduce the extent to which outside aid offsets Hawaii Promise awards. The bill also revises the statutory definition of “direct cost” and adds coordination language to ensure compliance with federal financial aid law and regulations.

Sentiment

The bill appears generally supportive of students and higher education access, with the stated goal of reducing financial barriers and helping students cover both school and living expenses. The bill text frames the change as a way to maximize student support and respond to federal Pell Grant changes. No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no recorded opposition or formal debate in the supplied materials.

Contention

The main policy issue is how Hawaii Promise should interact with other aid. Supporters of the bill favor excluding grants and scholarships from the award calculation so students can use those funds for indirect costs like housing and food. The likely point of concern is the fiscal and programmatic effect of moving away from a last-dollar approach, since that could increase state expenditures or reduce the number of students served if funding is limited. The bill addresses a second potential concern by directing the program to preserve federal aid eligibility if state and federal rules conflict.