Bill > SB764

This bill establishes a one-year Physician Licensing Subsidy Pilot Program within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to address Hawaii's physician shortage by reducing licensing barriers. The program will provide subsidized licensing fees for new medical school graduates and out-of-state physicians applying for their first medical license in Hawaii, cutting the total licensing fees by up to 50%. Eligible applicants must have passed the necessary qualifications for medical licensure. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs will collaborate with the Department of Health, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, and other stakeholders to promote the program, and will be required to submit a comprehensive report to the Legislature before the 2026 regular session detailing the program's impact, including the number of applicants who applied for and received the subsidized fee and how many ultimately obtained a doctor of medicine license in the state. The pilot program will run from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, with funding appropriated from the state's general revenues, and aims to help reduce the economic barriers that currently make physician licensure in Hawaii costly and complex.

Health and Social Services

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=764&year=2025