STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1313-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 2298

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 2298, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTHCARE PRECEPTOR TAX CREDITS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to incentivize volunteer preceptors who offer professional instruction, training, and supervision to students and residents seeking careers as healthcare providers by:

(1) Providing a tax credit to volunteer preceptors; and

(2) Establishing a Preceptor Credit Assurance Committee to develop and implement the allocation and distribution of certifications for the tax credit.

The Board of Nursing, Board of Pharmacy, Department of Health, University of Hawai‘i System, Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing, Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association, Hawai‘i Pacific Health, Straub Medical Center, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Primary Care Association, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, The Queen's Health Systems, and many individuals testified in support of this measure. The Department of the Attorney General, Office of Information Practices, Department of Taxation, and Tax Foundation of Hawaii provided comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Expanding the eligible academic programs in which a preceptor may supervise rotations to include programs that may not have their principal accreditation in Hawaii, but have a physical location in Hawaii;

(2) Requiring an academic program in which a preceptor supervises a rotation to provide education to students of whom more than fifty per cent are residents of Hawaii;

(3) Removing the requirement that an eligible student must be a resident of Hawaii;

(4) Removing the Preceptor Credit Assurance Committee's exemption from the Sunshine Law, which requires open meetings, public notice, and written minutes;

(5) Allowing the Preceptor Credit Assurance Committee to hold a meeting closed to the public for the purpose of considering information affecting the privacy of an individual; and

(6) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2298, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2298, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair