STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1404

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 69

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred S.B. No. 69, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to improve the quality of health care for all of Hawaii's residents by requiring the development and maintenance of a secure statewide comprehensive health care workforce map and database on the supply, demand, and distribution of health care workers in Hawaii, including projected health care workforce shortages through 2020 and plans to reduce these shortages.

     The Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Pacific Health, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Health and Department of Human Services supported the intent of this measure.

     Hawaii is currently experiencing a shortage of health care workers, particularly on the Neighbor Islands.  Your Committee finds that the development of a map and database to identify areas of need for health care workers is an important first step in solving this public health problem.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Inserting language in the purpose section of this bill that reiterates the Legislature's belief that health care worker shortage must be looked at as a long-term problem and that development of solutions to this problem is critical to the health and welfare of the people of Hawaii;

(2)  Specifying the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) as the responsible agency for the development and maintenance of the statewide comprehensive health care workforce map and database;

(3)  Appropriating $500,000 out of the State Health Planning and Development Agency Special Fund, rather than a general fund appropriation, for JABSOM to develop and maintain the statewide comprehensive health care workforce map and database; and

(4)  Specifying the University of Hawaii as the expending agency; and

(5)  Making Technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 69, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 69, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Public Employment,

____________________________

ALEX M. SONSON, Chair