STAND. COM. REP. NO. 969

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 262

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 262 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL RESIDENCY PROGRAMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate moneys to support and expand physician residency training programs in state teaching hospitals; provided that the funding is matched dollar-for-dollar by private funding sources.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Primary Care Association and Hawaii Medical Association.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the University of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the medical residency programs supported by this measure will help address the State's critical physician workforce shortage and help ensure an adequate physician workforce to deliver statewide medical care, including care to underserved areas on neighbor islands.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

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. 262, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 262, 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