STAND. COM. REP. NO. 95

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 69

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 69 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to provide comprehensive quality health care and alleviate the health care workforce shortage in Hawaii.

     The measure accomplishes this purpose by appropriating funds to an unspecified agency to support the development and maintenance of a statewide comprehensive health care workforce map and database that appropriately and effectively assesses staffing needs. 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Hawaii Pacific Health, Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, and two individuals.  Your Committee received testimony with comments on this measure from Department of Health, Department of Human Services, and Hawaii Medical Association.

     Your Committee finds that a severe shortage of health care workers exists in our State, especially on the neighbor islands.  Your Committee further finds that data is critical to understanding our workforce needs.  Currently, a comprehensive, publicly-available database does not exist.

     It is the intent of your Committee that the database is updated on a regular basis to maintain its accuracy and assures appropriate confidentiality.

     Your Committee has amended the measure by deleting the specific amount appropriated and leaving it unspecified.

     Your Committee further finds that, although it has amended the measure by removing the specific amount to be appropriated, an appropriation in the amount of $500,000 is recommended for the initial development and maintenance of the state health care workforce map and database.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 69, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 69, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair