Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2351, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a five-year nursing education loan program under the University of Hawaii.

Specifically, this measure authorizes the University of Hawaii to provide loans during the period to students who reside in the State who have been accepted into a nursing program in either a public or private institution in the State and who agree to work in the State upon graduating. Furthermore, under this measure, twenty per cent of the loan amount is forgiven each year that the loan recipient works as a registered nurse in the State.

Your Committee finds that this measure is needed to alleviate the growing nursing shortage in the State that is primarily due to the aging of the current nursing workforce and the decline in younger people selecting nursing as a career. This measure will attract younger people into the profession by providing them with financial support both during and after their training.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the appropriation to a blank amount and by making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2351, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2351, S.D. 2.