STAND. COM. REP. NO.  231

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 691

      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. 691, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PHYSICIAN SHORTAGES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure access to health care in rural areas by establishing and appropriating funds for the Hawaii Rural Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program to provide student loan repayments to qualified physicians who commit to serving five consecutive years in federally designated health professional shortage areas of the state.

     The Hawaii Primary Care Association, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, and The League of Women Voters of Hawaii testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Health opposed this measure.  A concerned individual offered comments.

     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. 691, H.D. 1, 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