STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1076-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.C.R. No. 119

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 119 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII TO BEGIN REBUILDING THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH BY 2012,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to seek resolution to the serious decline in Hawaii's public health workforce by urging the University of Hawaii to rebuild the School of Public Health (SPH) by 2012 to expand the education and training of future public health workers.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Public Health Association, Hui Ola Pono, and numerous concerned individuals.

     Your Committee notes that many public health workers, especially those in leadership and middle management are approaching retirement within the next few years, and that the replacement workforce may lack formal public health training.  Your Committee acknowledges that significant strides have been made by the University of Hawaii Office of Public Health Studies and the Department of Health toward the rebuilding of public health education, research, and training since the closure of the SPH in 2000.  However, restoring the SPH would expand public health training and position our State's eligibility for maximum federal funding in research and education.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 119 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

JERRY L. CHANG, Chair