STAND. COM. REP. NO. 406

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 902

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Lower & Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 902 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LOAN REPAYMENT FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Health to fund the Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program administered by the John A. Burns School of Medicine.

The Department of Health, Mayor's Office of the County of Hawaii, The Queen's Health Systems, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Hawai‘i Pacific Health, Lāna‘i Community Health Center, Hawai‘i Primary Care Association, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Academy of Physician Assistants, Hawaii State Rural Health Association, American Nurses Association in Hawaii, Hawaii Family Health, Hilo Medical Center Foundation, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and many individuals testified in support of this measure. The University of Hawai‘i System provided comments.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation amount from $350,000 to unspecified amounts;

(2) Adding registered nurse practitioners as one of the health care professionals who may benefit from this loan repayment program;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to promote further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Lower & Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 902, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 902, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Lower & Higher Education,

____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair

____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair