STAND. COM. REP. NO. 673-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1550

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness and Higher Education & Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 1550 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII MEDICAL EDUCATION SPECIAL FUND,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to reestablish the Hawaii Medical Education Special Fund to enable the John A. Burns School of Medicine, in consultation with the Hawaii Medical Education Council, to provide funding for graduate medical education and training programs in the State.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Hawaii Medical Association, Hawai‘i State Rural Health Association, and Hawai‘i Pacific Health. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committees find that the Hawaii Medical Education Council is tasked with overseeing the State's graduate medical education programs and the programs' ability to meet Hawaii's health care workforce requirements. According to the University of Hawaii's 2022 Annual Report on the Hawaii Medical Education Council, graduate medical education programs, especially those in primary care, geriatrics, adult and child psychiatry, and addiction, serve a high proportion of the most vulnerable populations in the State.

Your Committees further find that ongoing funding of graduate medical education is vital to address the physician shortage in the State. Reestablishing the Hawaii Medical Education Special Fund, to be utilized as a means of funding graduate medical education and training, is a key component that can support the expansion of graduate medical education positions.

Your Committees have amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness and Higher Education & Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1550, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1550, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness and Higher Education & Technology,

____________________________ GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair