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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 January 13, 2010; 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.
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