CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 160

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2007

RE:    H.B. No. 1477

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1477, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RURAL PRIMARY HEALTH CARE TRAINING,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this bill is to increase access to primary health care services provided by family physicians or residents in the family medicine residency program at the University of Hawaii to medically underserved residents in rural areas of the State by appropriating funds to:

     (1)  Support and expand the family medicine residency program of the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine's Department of Family Medicine and Community Health to provide rural primary health care services; and

     (2)  Develop a permanent statewide rural primary health care training program in the County of Hawaii to expand the rural health care training available for individuals in the family medicine residency program of the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Inserting the following appropriations:

(A)  $1,500,000 for fiscal year 2007-2008 to support and expand the family medicine residency program of the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine's Department of Family Medicine and Community Health to provide rural primary health care services; and

(B)  $2,500,000 for fiscal year 2008-2009 to develop a statewide Rural Primary Health Care Training Program to provide family physicians to rural areas and improve health care access for the people of Hawaii;

(2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2007; and

(3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1477, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1477, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair	____________________________ JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Co-Chair
____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Co-Chair	____________________________ JERRY L. CHANG, Co-Chair
____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Co-Chair	____________________________ JOHN MIZUNO, Co-Chair