STAND. COM. REP. NO.  134-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 1758

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1758 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address the shortage of physicians in the State by appropriating funds for University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) medical resident positions in rural Oahu and neighbor island communities and the following associated costs:  increases in faculty and infrastructure of JABSOM's Family Medicine Residency Program and development of new accredited family health centers in association with teaching hospitals.

The Queen's Health Systems, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Hawaii Pacific Health, and two individuals testified in support of this measure.  JABSOM submitted comments on this measure.

     Your Committee notes the appropriation request is for $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2016-2017 to support medical residency programs to help alleviate the shortage of primary care physicians in rural Oahu and the neighbor island communities.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2070, to facilitate further discussion.

     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. 1758, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1758, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Higher Education.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair