Bill Text: HI SB2472 | 2020 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Tuition Waivers For Physicians In Rural Areas.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-02-14 - Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. [SB2472 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2020-SB2472-Amended.html
|
THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2472 |
|
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020 |
S.D. 1 |
|
|
STATE OF HAWAII |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
||
A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO TUITION WAIVERS FOR PHYSICIANS IN RURAL AREAS.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that many of the residents of Hawaii are increasingly unable to obtain timely and appropriate health care because of physician shortages. Specifically, rural areas of Hawaii suffer from chronic shortage of medical professionals. Therefore, the State must provide incentives for medical professionals to serve in rural areas.
The purpose of this Act is to require and appropriate funds for the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine to establish a loan forgiveness program to cover a student's tuition balance after any grants and scholarships received to study at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine.
SECTION 2. (a) The University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine shall establish a loan forgiveness program to cover a student's tuition balance after any grants and scholarships received to study at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine.
(b) The loan forgiveness recipient shall sign a contract committing to practice medicine in rural areas of the State for at least five consecutive years after completing the recipient's residency; provided that the contract shall be subject to state parental leave provisions.
For the purposes of this subsection, "rural areas" means an area, as defined by zip code, with fewer than thirty thousand residents.
(c) By June 30 of each year until the loan forgiveness recipient has discharged their obligations pursuant to subsection (b), the recipient shall submit evidence that the recipient is fulfilling their obligations per the signed contract to the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine and department of health. Such evidence shall include a signed affidavit from the loan forgiveness recipient; provided that the affidavit shall include the number of rural residents served by the recipient during the past year; provided further that if the recipient is employed, the recipient shall submit signed affidavits from the recipient's employers and copies of time sheets; provided further that if the recipient is self-employed, the recipient shall submit summaries and representative copies of insurance payments.
(d) If a loan forgiveness recipient breaches their contract pursuant to subsection (b), the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine and department of health shall file a lien against the recipient in breach for the amount of the tuition waived prorated for the period of the breach.
SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020-2021 for the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine to establish a loan forgiveness program to cover a student's tuition balance after any grants and scholarships received to study at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine; provided that no funds shall be released unless matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis by funds from a private or another public source.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Report Title:
University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine; Rural Areas; Appropriation
Description:
Requires and appropriates funds for the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine to establish a loan forgiveness program. (SD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
