STAND. COM. REP. NO. 225

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 637

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 637 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii System for various nursing programs.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi System, Hawaiʻi Primary Care Association, Hawaiʻi State Center for Nursing, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that meeting the growing demand for skilled nursing professionals is critical to addressing health care shortages and ensuring the well-being of the State's communities. Your Committee further finds that expanding nursing education programs at the University of Hawaii System is essential to developing a robust workforce capable of meeting the needs of an aging population, addressing health care disparities in underserved areas, and responding to future public health challenges. This measure invests in the nursing programs of the University of Hawaii System to improve health outcomes in the State and enhance the State's capacity to provide equitable and accessible care for all residents.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing each appropriation amount to an unspecified amount;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee notes that this measure, as amended, contains unspecified appropriation amounts. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider an appropriation amount of:

(1) $447,936 for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 respectively, for University of Hawaii, Manoa (UOH 100)‑University of Hawaii, West Oahu Nursing Collaboration Phase III;

(2) $111,984 for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 respectively, for the University of Hawaii, Manoa (UOH 100) for the Online Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science Program (BS);

(3) $424,364 for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 respectively, for the University of Hawaii, West Oahu (UOH 700) for the Pre-Nursing Pathway Program; and

(4) $297,500 for fiscal year 2025-2026 and $595,000 for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the University of Hawaii at Hilo (UOH 210) to increase its School of Nursing cohort size.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 637, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 637, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair