STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1626

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   S.B. No. 113

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 113, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII STATE LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to address the shortage of health professionals in certain areas of the State by appropriating funds to the Hawaii State Loan Repayment Program to provide loan repayment assistance for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, psychologists, counselors, and social workers who agree to work in a federally designated health professional shortage area or an area in Hawaii found to be underserved.

 

     The Queen's Health Systems, Lanai Community Health Center, Hawaii Academy of Family Physicians, Hawaii Medical Association, and numerous individuals testified in support of this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting the requirement that the loan repayment assistance be for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, psychologists, counselors, and social workers who agree to work in a federally designated health professional shortage area or an area in Hawaii found to be underserved;

 

     (2)  Requiring that that the loan repayment assistance be for persons who enter into an employment contract with the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation that includes the following terms:

 

          (A)  Employment at the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation for a minimum of five years;

 

          (B)  A payment schedule for the disbursement of the loan payment assistance; and

 

          (C)  A penalty for the failure to maintain employment at the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation for a minimum of five years; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for 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 S.B. No. 113, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 113, S.D. 2, H.D. 1.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair