HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2045
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to Health Care Workforce Development.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that a gap exists between the skills that students have upon graduation and the skills that employers are seeking. Business leaders in Hawaii's expanding industries report that it is often difficult to recruit local applicants who have the skills and experience that local employers need.

The legislature also finds that educational programs specializing in career readiness and technical expertise can be effective in preparing students in Hawaii to enter the job market in the State. Educational initiatives at schools within the State have been established to develop students' technical skills and prepare them to enter the workforce.

The legislature further finds that the need for these educational initiatives is particularly significant for the development of the State's health care workforce. Currently, Hawaii has a high need for health care workers across provider settings, including significant need in acute care, or hospital, settings, as well as in skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, hospices, home health agencies, and health system clinics.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to expand the number of students receiving career and technical skills education by allowing students to enroll in career and technical programs relating to health care workforce development outside of the service area in which they reside.

SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part II, subpart C, to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302A- Career and technical education programs; enrollment. (a) A school that has a career and technical education program relating to health care workforce development shall review all geographic exception applications submitted pursuant to section 302A-1143 and make a determination whether to:

(1) Enroll any student that resides within the service area of the school pursuant to section 302A-1143;

(2) Enroll all students from outside the school's service area who submit an application, unless the number of students who submit an application exceeds the capacity of a program, class, grade level, or building;

(3) Use a lottery system to select students described in paragraph (2) who have submitted a timely application, if the school finds that capacity is insufficient to enroll all students; and

(4) Give an enrollment preference to students enrolled in the school during the previous school year.

(b) The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 necessary to implement this section.

(c) As used in this section, "career and technical education program" means a program operated by a school that primarily focuses on student learning and skills development relating to health care workforce development through the practical application of academic and technical skills and knowledge."

SECTION 3. Section 302A-1143, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§302A-1143 Attending school in [what] a designated service area. A person of school age shall be required to attend the school of the service area, as determined by the department, in which the person resides, unless:

(1) The person is enrolled in a Hawaiian language medium education program or charter school;

(2) A geographic exception to attend a school in another service area is requested and granted at the discretion of the department; [or]

(3) Out-of-service-area attendance is mandated by the department or by federal law[.]; or

(4) The person is enrolled in a career and technical education program under section 302A- ."

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2020.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

DOE; Public Schools; Career and Technical Health Care Education Programs; Educational Choice; Health Care Workforce Development

Description:

Requires a public school that has a career and technical education requirement relating to health care workforce development to review all geographic exception applications and make a determination whether to allow students to enroll in career and technical education programs in schools outside the Department of Education service area in which the student resides.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.