H. B. 3257
(By Delegates Marshall, Moore, Mahan, Guthrie,
Perry, Kominar, Perdue and Moye)
[Introduced March 20, 2009; referred to the
Committee on Education then Finance.]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §18C-3-1a, relating
to providing a loan forgiveness program for nurses, social
workers, dentists and hygienists.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended
by adding thereto a new section, designated §18C-3-1a, to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 3. HEALTH PROFESSIONALS STUDENT LOAN PROGRAMS.
§18C-3-1a. Nursing education, social worker education, dentist or
hygienist education loan program; administration;
eligibility and loan cancellation; required report.
(a) For the purposes of this section, Vice Chancellor of
Administration means the person employed pursuant to section two,
article four, chapter eighteen-b of this code.
(b) There is hereby created a special revolving fund account
under the commission in the State Treasury to be known as the
Nursing, Social Worker, Dentist and Hygienist Education Student
Loan Fund which shall be used to carry out the purposes of this
section. The fund consists of:
(1) Appropriations provided by the Legislature;
(2) Repayment of any loans made under this section;
(3) Amounts provided by nursing, social worker, dentist, or
hygienist associations, hospitals or other medical provider
organizations in this state, or by political subdivisions of the
state, under an agreement which requires the recipient to practice
his or her nursing, social worker, dentist or hygienist profession
in the political subdivision providing the funds, or otherwise in
this state, for a predetermined period of time; and
(4) Other amounts available from external sources.
Balances remaining in the fund at the end of the fiscal year
do not expire or revert. All costs associated with administering
this section shall be paid from the Nursing, Social Worker, Dentist
and Hygienist Education Student Loan Fund.
(c) The Vice Chancellor for Administration may utilize any
funds in the Health Education Student Loan Fund for the purposes of
the nursing, social worker, dentists or hygienist student loan
program. The commission shall determine and give priority for the
loans to residents of this state. An individual is eligible for loan consideration upon:
(1) Demonstrating financial need;
(2) Meeting established academic standards;
(3) Is enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an accredited
institution of higher education in this state in a program leading
to the degree of licensed practical nurse or registered nurse,
social worker, dentist or hygienist;
(4) Not yet receiving one of the degrees provided in
subdivision (3) of this subsection; and
(5) Not defaulting on any previous student loan.
(d) At the end of each fiscal year, any individual who has
received a nursing, social worker, dentist or hygienist student
loan and rendered services as a licensed practical nurse or
registered nurse, a social worker, dentist or hygienist in this
state in a medically underserved area or in a nursing, social work
or dental or hygienist specialty in which there is a shortage of
qualified nurses, social workers, dentists or dental hygienists as
determined by the Division of Health at the time the loan was
granted, may submit to the commission a notarized, sworn statement
of service on a form provided for that purpose. Upon receipt of
the statement the commission shall cancel $5,000 of the outstanding
loan or loans for every full twelve consecutive calendar months of
such service.
(e) No later than thirty days following the end of each fiscal year, the Vice Chancellor for Administration shall prepare and
submit a report to the commission for inclusion in the statewide
report card required under section eight, article one-b, chapter
eighteen-b to be submitted to the Legislative Oversight Commission
on Education Accountability established under section eleven,
article three-a of chapter twenty-nine-a of this code. At a
minimum, the report shall include the following information:
(1) The number of loans awarded in each specialty area;
(2) The total amount of the loans awarded;
(3) The amount of any unexpended moneys in the fund; and
(4) The rate of default during the previous fiscal year on the
repayment of loans granted pursuant to this section.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide a loan
forgiveness program for nurses, social workers, dentists and
hygienists similar to what currently exists for medical doctors and
osteopathic physicians.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.