STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 1438
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2023
RE: S.B. No. 62
S.D. 2
H.D. 1
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2023
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committees on Health & Homelessness and Higher Education & Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 62, S.D. 2, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The
purpose of this measure is to:
(1) Reestablish the Hawaii Medical Education Special Fund; and
(2) Appropriate funds to
the John A. Burns School of Medicine for
graduate medical education and training programs, expansion of medical
residency and training, and medical residency and training opportunities
in partnership with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure
from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa John A. Burns School of
Medicine, Hawai‘i Primary Care Association, Hawaii Medical
Association, ‘Ahahui o nā Kauka, The Queen's Health
System, Hawai‘i Pacific Health, Hawaii Medical Service
Association, and Kaiser Permanente Hawai‘i.
Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of
Budget and Finance and Department of the Attorney General.
Your Committees find
that many Hawaii residents are unable to obtain timely and appropriate health
care due to shortages of health care providers in the State. In particular, the State's neighbor islands,
which have been designated by the federal government as medically underserved
areas, have been disproportionately impacted by shortages of physicians in all
practice areas.
Your Committees
further find that eighty percent of graduates of the John A. Burns School of
Medicine who complete their medical school and residency in the State, also
known as their graduate medical education, remain in Hawaii to practice. Additionally, medical residents who train on
the neighbor islands are more likely to remain and subsequently practice there. Your Committees also find that ongoing
funding of medical education is a matter of statewide concern and is vital to
address the physician shortage in the State.
Your
Committees have amended this measure by:
(1) Clarifying that the funds appropriated shall
be appropriated into and out of the Hawaii Medical Education Special Fund;
(2) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000,
to encourage further discussion; and
(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments
for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health & Homelessness and Higher Education & Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 62, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 62, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health & Homelessness and Higher Education & Technology,
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____________________________ AMY A. PERRUSO, Chair |
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____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair |
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