Bill Text: HI SB734 | 2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To The Hawaii State Loan Repayment Program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-01-23 - Referred to HRE/CPH, WAM. [SB734 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2017-SB734-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
734 |
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TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO THE HAWAII STATE LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that many residents of Hawaii are increasingly unable to obtain timely and appropriate health care due to shortages of primary care and behavioral health providers. Such shortages threaten the health of Hawaii's residents and affect state health care costs. These shortages have pushed the federal government to designate a number of areas in the State, particularly rural areas, as medically underserved areas, health professional shortage areas, or as having medically underserved populations.
The legislature further finds that the increasingly high cost of health care professional education requires individuals to seek out the higher incomes that allow them to repay their student loans. However, these higher incomes are usually in specialty care in urban areas, not in the areas of greatest need in Hawaii. Since September 1, 2012, several physicians and nurse practitioners have received loan repayment to work in health professional shortage areas in Hawaii and are still serving these communities through a loan repayment program started by the John A. Burns school of medicine of the University of Hawaii. The program was started with private donations and matching federal funding.
The purpose of this Act is to fund the Hawaii state loan repayment program for primary and behavioral health care under the John A. Burns school of medicine of the University of Hawaii to provide loan repayment 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 of Hawaii found to be underserved.
SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $311,875 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2017-2018 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-1019 for the implementation and administration of the Hawaii state loan repayment program.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the John A. Burns school of medicine of the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2017.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Hawaii State Loan Repayment Program; John A. Burns School of Medicine; Appropriation
Description:
Appropriates funds for the implementation and administration of the Hawaii state loan repayment program.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
