STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1596

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.R. No. 255

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Health and Human Services & Housing, to which was referred H.R. No. 255 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE CREATION OF A TEMPORARY TASK FORCE TO EXAMINE ALL RELEVANT ISSUES THAT MAY CONTRIBUTE TO THE EXODUS OF PHYSICIANS FROM HAWAII AND TO RECOMMEND WAYS TO RETAIN PHYSICIANS IN THE STATE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this resolution is to seek solutions to the state's loss of physicians by creating a temporary task force to examine relevant issues that may contribute to the exodus of physicians from Hawaii and to recommend ways to retain our doctors.

     The Hawaii Medical Service Association and National Multiple Sclerosis Society supported this resolution.  The Hawaii Medical Association submitted comments.

     Your Committees have amended this resolution by:

(1)  Providing for the appointment of five members to the task force by the Governor;

(2)  Requesting the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate President to jointly appoint four members to the task force;

(3)  Requesting that the task force be placed within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs for administrative purposes; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services & Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 255, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Legislative Management in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 255, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services & Housing,

____________________________ KARL A. RHOADS, Acting Chair and Vice Chair

____________________________ JOHN MIZUNO, Acting Chair and Vice Chair