STAND. COM. REP. NO. 513

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1379

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1379 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to exempt foreign medical graduates from the State's medical licensure residency requirements, under certain circumstances.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Health Planning and Development Agency; Philippine Medical Association of Hawaiʻi; Mel A. Ona, M.D., Inc., dba Ohana Gastroenterology; MDX Hawaii; World Education Services; and five individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Medical Board; Hawai‘i Pacific Health; Hawaii Medical Association; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the State faces a significant physician shortage, particularly in primary care and specialty fields. Your Committee further finds that some foreign medical graduates are unable to become licensed in the State, even if they practice in a high demand specialty, because they did not a complete a residency that meets the requirements of the State's existing licensure laws. Your Committee believes that allowing foreign medical graduates who have received training comparable to that of American or Canadian medical school graduates will create an alternative pathway to licensure while maintaining high quality and safety standards.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring foreign medical graduates to be graduates of schools listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools;

(2) Requiring foreign medical graduates to demonstrate a proficiency in the English language;

(3) Amending the types of training a foreign medical graduate may substitute in lieu of one year of residency training;

(4) Requiring foreign medical graduates to pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination;

(5) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1379, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1379, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair