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SB294
THE SENATE
S.B. NO.
294
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating
to Health care Workforce Development
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
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SECTION 1.
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The
legislature finds that current efforts to address the health care workforce
shortage have been successful.
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However,
it has also become clear that the needs of the rapidly aging population are
contributing to increased demand for workers throughout the health care
field.
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The
2024 Healthcare Workforce
Initiative
survey from the
Healthcare Association of Hawaii
found that there are nearly four thousand
seven hundred openings for non-physician, patient-facing positions in
hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, and other health care facilities in the
State.
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The legislature recognizes the urgent need
to address Hawaii's health care workforce shortages due to increasing demand
for health care services across the State.
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The Hawaii Healthcare Workforce Initiative, coordinated by the Healthcare
Association of Hawaii, has played a crucial role in mitigating this issue
through various workforce development programs.
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Two key program types are the public high school health care certificate
programs and the certified nurse assistant (CNA) to licensed practical nurse
(LPN) glidepath program.
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Both programs
aim to strengthen Hawaii's health care system by preparing new health care
workers to enter the workforce and supporting the career advancement of
existing workers.
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The public high school health care
certificate programs are designed to provide students with the training and
skills necessary to enter health care positions immediately after
graduation.
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These programs address the
significant shortage of entry-level health care workers in Hawaii and offer
students a pathway to careers that pay a living wage and provide opportunities
for further professional development.
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By
covering the costs of tuition, transportation, and work uniforms, and offering
career coaching and counseling, the programs help to remove barriers to entry into
the health care workforce.
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It is
estimated that these programs can assist approximately one hundred and fifty
students per year, with an average cost of $4,300 per student.
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The CNA+ to LPN glidepath program offers a
critical career advancement opportunity for CNAs already working in health care.
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This program follows an
"earn-and-learn" model, allowing CNAs to continue working full-time
while pursuing licensure as LPNs.
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The
glidepath program provides essential services such as tuition assistance,
transportation, food stipends, counseling, and career advice.
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The legislature recognizes that LPNs are in
particularly high demand in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and
other long-term care settings, making this program an important tool for
retaining and advancing health care workers in these essential roles.
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Healthcare Association of Hawaii's glidepath
program supports approximately forty participants per year.
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The legislature further finds that health care
employers have invested heavily in these programs.
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Employers have provided clinicians to teach some
of the courses and invested in hands-on training opportunities for students to
enable them to learn in a real-life setting.
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Employers have also often awarded stipends to students, especially in
the glidepath program, to ensure participants are compensated as if working
full-time.
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Other entities, such as the Healthcare
Association of Hawaii, have also provided significant staffing resources to
recruit students, coordinate programs, and raise federal, state, and private funds
to maintain these vital programs.
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The legislature acknowledges that both of
these programs are crucial in addressing Hawaii's health care workforce needs.
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A 2022 survey by the Healthcare Workforce
Initiative found that more than 1,500 existing health care job openings could
be filled by graduates of the high school certificate programs or CNAs who
advance to LPNs through a glidepath program.
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Despite their current success, these programs must be continuously supported
and scaled up to meet the ever-increasing health care needs of Hawaii's people.
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Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
appropriate funds to support educational programs that expand the State's
health care workforce.
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SECTION 2.
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There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii
the sum of $1,450,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
year 2026-2027 for educational programs to expand the State's health care
workforce to be allocated as follows:
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(1)
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$
to be expended by the department of education to:
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(A)
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Support
health care certification programs offered in public high schools; and
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(B)
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Renovate
and equip public high school classrooms to make them more suitable for health
care training; and
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(2)
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$
to be expended by the university of Hawaii for education programs that support
certified nurse aides in obtaining licensure as licensed practical nurses.
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SECTION 3.
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This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.
INTRODUCED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title:
DOE; UH; Education;
Health Care Workforce; Appropriations
Description:
Appropriates
funds to support educational training programs to expand the State's health
care workforce.
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Allocates funds to the
Department of Education for health care certificate programs and classroom
renovations for health care training in public high schools.
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Allocates funds to the University of Hawaii
for education programs that support certified nurse assistants in becoming
licensed practical nurses.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.