S.B. 3004 Summary

• Appropriates $3,400,000 in general revenues for fiscal year 2024-2025 to maintain 75 health technician positions within the Department of Education for the Hawaii Keiki: Healthy and Ready to Learn Program.

• Health technicians serve as community health workers, medical assistants, and certified nurse assistants who work under supervision of registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses to provide on-site health services in public schools.

• Program has demonstrated significant growth in capacity, with visits increasing from 8,188 in school year 2019-2020 to 126,994 in school year 2022-2023, and health technicians increasing productivity by up to 60 percent compared to nursing care alone.

• Of the 75 health technician positions, 58 are paired with nurses to maximize team-based clinical care and efficiency, while 17 are distributed to complex areas with challenging geographic spread and high needs.

• Declares that the appropriation exceeds the state general fund expenditure ceiling for fiscal year 2024-2025 and takes effect July 1, 2024.