STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1080-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1574

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1574, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HEALTHCARE EDUCATION LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish minimum service duration requirements based on the total amount of loan repayment assistance received for participants in the Healthcare Education Loan Repayment program who receive new awards on or after July 1, 2027.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Governor; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; University of Hawaii at Manoa John A. Burns School of Medicine; State Health Planning and Development Agency; Hawaiʻi State Center for Nursing; Hawaiʻi Pacific Health; The Queen's Health Systems; Hawaii Medical Association; Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition; Navian Hawaii; Hawaii Dental Association; Healthcare Association of Hawaii; Hawaiʻi Association of Professional Nurses; Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center; Hawaii Affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives; ʻOhiʻa Midwifery & Wellness, LLC; and Lehua Community Birth Center.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Formally establishing the Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program in statute;

(2) Clarifying that participants in the program that receive a new award on or after July 1, 2027, are subject to the new minimum service duration requirements; and

(3) 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 Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1574, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1574, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

CHRIS TODD, Chair