Introduced Version
House Bill 2391 History
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Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
H. B. 2391
(By Delegate Michael)
[Introduced February 13, 2009; referred to the
Committee on 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.
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 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 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 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 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 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 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;
(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 student loan and rendered services as a licensed
practical nurse or registered nurse in this state in a medically
underserved area or in a nursing specialty in which there is a
shortage of qualified nurses, 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;
(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 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.