Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Higher Education and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1014 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to ensure the health and welfare of Hawaii's citizens and relieve the shortage of registered nurses by increasing the number of qualified nursing faculty to teach nursing students. Specifically, this bill establishes and appropriates funds for a nursing scholars program (Program) at the University of Hawaii (UH) to attract baccalaureate-prepared nurses into master's and doctoral programs that will prepare them for academic careers in nursing.

UH, the Queen's Medical Center and Healthcare Association of Hawaii testified in support of this bill. The Hawaii Government Employees Association supported the intent of this measure. The Department of Taxation offered comments.

Your Committees have amended this bill by:

Your Committees note that UH has requested $100,000 to establish and implement the Program.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Higher Education and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1014, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1014, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.