# Hawaii HB 2338: RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROMISE PROGRAM.

Hawaii HB 2338, RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROMISE PROGRAM., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by Nadine K. Nakamura (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-07-13 (Act 235, 07/13/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1337).); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2338-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii HB 2338
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROMISE PROGRAM.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-26
- Last action: 2026-07-13, Act 235, 07/13/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1337).
- Sponsor: Nadine K. Nakamura (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: University of Hawaii, Hawaii Community College Promise Program, EDU, WAM
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 10 (218 yes, 2 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

Addresses the change in federal law regarding Pell Grants by amending the Hawaii Community College Promise Program (Hawaii Promise) to provide scholarships for ninety-five percent of a student's unmet direct cost need and exclude grants, scholarships, and other funding sources from the calculation of Hawaii Promise awards, thereby allowing students to apply such funds toward indirect costs, including housing, food, and other living expenses, to reduce financial barriers and support student success. Changes Hawaii Promise from being a last-dollar award. Authorizes Hawaii Promise to coordinate with federal student aid programs to maximize total financial assistance available to students. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Federal aid stays protected for students: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, the Hawaii Promise Program may coordinate with federal student aid to maximize students' total financial help. If Hawaii Promise rules conflict with federal law or aid rules, the program must protect students' federal aid eligibility and provide the most state assistance fed…
- Hawaii students get college cost help: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, eligible Hawaii residents at University of Hawaii community colleges can receive Promise scholarships for up to eight semesters. Students must be in a classified degree or certificate program with at least six credits per semester, maintain satisfactory academic progress, an…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Nadine K. Nakamura (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-05-06 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 50 | 1 |   |
| 2026-04-29 | Senate | The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS.... | pass | 3 | 0 |   |
| 2026-04-29 | House | The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments.... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2026-04-10 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 25 | 0 |   |
| 2026-04-06 | Senate | The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The... | pass | 12 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-17 | Senate | The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 3 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-05 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 48 | 1 |   |
| 2026-02-25 | House | The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 16 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-17 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN... | pass | 47 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-06 | House | The committee on HED recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 10 | 0 |   |

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2338_CD1_.pdf)
- HB2338_CD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2338_CD1_.HTM)
- HB2338_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2338_HD1_.HTM)
- HB2338_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2338_SD1_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2338_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/GM1337_.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2338_CD1_.pdf)
- [HB2338_CD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2338_CD1_.HTM)
- [HB2338_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2338_HD1_.HTM)
- [HB2338_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2338_SD1_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2338_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/GM1337_.PDF)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2344-2026)
- [HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2023-2026)
- [HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2021-2026)
- [SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1973-2026)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2338-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).