Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2162, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to provide incentives for nurses to serve rural areas of the state by establishing the Rural Nursing Program to provide loans to nursing students, each year of which will be forgiven for each year the nurse works in a rural area.

The University of Hawaii (UH) School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, Hawaii Government Employees Association, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2162, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.