STAND. COM. REP. NO.  792

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 343

      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 Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 343, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RURAL PRIMARY HEALTH CARE TRAINING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide relief to medically underserved areas of the state by increasing the number of primary health care providers in rural areas of Hawaii by appropriating funds to:

(1)  Develop a statewide Rural Primary Health Care Training Program in each county of the State, beginning with Hawaii County; and

(2)  Support and expand the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine's (JABSOM) Family  Medicine Residency Program to provide rural primary health care services.

     The Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health of JABSOM, Hawai‘i Primary Care Association, Hawaii Medical Service Association, AARP Hawaii, and two concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  JABSOM provided comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 343, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair