STAND. COM. REP. NO.  5

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 124

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 124 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to address the shortage of health professionals in underserved rural communities throughout the state by appropriating funds for the Hawaii Quentin Burdick Rural Health Interdisciplinary Training Program (Program).

     The Program and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The University of Hawaii at Manoa offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Changing the appropriation amount to $1;

(2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 124, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 124, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Health.

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

____________________________

JERRY L. CHANG, Chair