STAND. COM. REP. NO. 513

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 167

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 167 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LOANS FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to address the healthcare workforce shortage in Hawaii. 

 

     Specifically, this measure establishes interest-free home purchase loan programs for physicians and advanced practice registered nurses to provide them with an incentive to work in hard-to-staff rural areas.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Consumer Lawyers of Hawaii, Hawaii Association of Professional Nurses, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, and Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association.  The Department of Health submitted testimony supporting the intent of this measure.

 

     Your Committee finds that the shortage of healthcare professionals in rural areas is a major problem that has a huge impact on the health of Hawaii's rural residents and communities.  The high cost of obtaining a medical education prevents many professionals from being able to take positions in rural areas that usually provide lower compensation than what is generally paid in urbanized areas.  Providing interest-free home loans to physicians and advanced practice registered nurses working at least forty hours a week in a rural health facility will provide meaningful incentives to bring much needed health care providers to the State's rural areas.

 

     Your Committee notes the concern that the administration of the loan program established in this measure is not within the expertise of the Department of Health and finds the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation is a more suitable entity to oversee the program.

 

     Your Committee amended this measure to place the loan program under the administration of the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation.

 

     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 S.B. No. 167, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 167, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair