STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3117

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2983

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2983 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Health for the purpose of funding the health care provider loan repayment program administered by the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, University of Hawaii, County of Hawaii Office of the Mayor, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii State Rural Health Association, Hawaii Pacific Health, Kaiser Permanente, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Hawaii-American Nurses Association, Lanai Community Health Center, Hawaii Medical Association, Hilo Medical Center Foundation, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, The Queen's Health Systems, Hawaii State Center for Nursing, Hawaii Family Health, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Hawaii Association of Professional Nurses, Hawaii Academy of Family Physicians, and numerous individuals.

Your Committee finds that since its inception in 2012, the Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program has provided financial assistance to forty-six health care professionals and currently supports twenty-five health care providers in the State. Your Committee also finds that this measure provides necessary funding to continue to encourage health care professionals in the State to practice in underserved geographic areas, thereby increasing access to quality medical care for many of the least-resourced individuals in the State.

Your Committee notes that this measure prohibits release of the funds until a dollar-for-dollar match is secured from a private or other public source.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing all references to the loan repayment program to "Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program", to conform with the program's name as established in section 309H-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(2) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

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

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2983, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2983, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair