STAND. COM. REP. NO.  246

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 428

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 428 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PHYSICIAN WORKFORCE ASSESSMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow the John A. Burns School of Medicine to continue to receive a portion of the physician workforce assessment fee to support its physician workforce assessment and planning by repealing the sunset date of the authorizing Act.

The University of Hawaii, Hawaii Medical Association, Ohana Health Plan, AlohaCare, Hawaii Academy of Family Physicians, Lanai Community Health Center, and numerous concerned individuals supported this bill.  The Hawaii Medical Board opposed this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Amending the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for consistency, clarity, 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. 428, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 428, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair