STAND. COM. REP. NO.  62

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 991

      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 Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 991 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure adequate access to medical care in rural, medically underserved areas of the state by establishing the Hawaii Medical Doctor Loan Program (Program) to provide financial assistance for University of Hawaii medical school graduates who agree to work in rural areas of the state.

     The Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Primary Care Association, League of Women Voters of Hawaii, and Hawaii Section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists supported this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Expanding the Program to include medical school graduates who have received medical training in a Hawaii-based program; and

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 991, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 991, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Higher Education.

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

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair