HB 3150 — Health Science and Medical Student Loan Programs

CS for HB 3150 WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION ENGROSSED Committee Substitute for House Bill 3150 By Delegates Ellington, Statler, Toney, Crouse, Dittman, Hornby, Pritt, Campbell, Willis, Jennings, and Stephens [Reported on March 14 in the Committee on Education;

then to the Committee on Finance] Eng CS for HB 3150 A BILL to amend and reenact §18C-3-1 and §18C-3-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating generally to higher education loan programs;

1 Eng CS for HB 3150 "West Virginia residents" means persons who are citizens or legal residents of the United States and have resided in West Virginia for at least one year immediately preceding the date of application for a medical student loan are charged in-state tuition at the time of entry into the medical school.

amounts provided by medical 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 health profession in this state or in the political 2 Eng CS for HB 3150 subdivision providing the funds for a predetermined period of time and in such capacity as set forth in the agreement;

(g) In order to be eligible for renewal of a medical student loan as provided in this section, the person applying therefor shall meet the minimum requirements established in §18C-3-1(e) of this code, as well as maintain good academic standing and make satisfactory progress toward 3 Eng CS for HB 3150 degree completion in accordance with the issuing medical school’s policy for awarding Title IV financial aid funds.

(6) Maintain records and make reports to the issuing medical school and the Commission to document the person’s satisfaction of the obligations under the agreement to engage in the full- 4 Eng CS for HB 3150 time practice of medicine in an approved service commitment area and to continue the full-time practice of medicine in the approved service commitment area for a consecutive period of months years equal to the total number of months years the student received the medical student loan.

5 Eng CS for HB 3150 (l) Upon the failure of any person to satisfy the obligation to engage in the full-time practice of medicine within an approved service commitment area of this state for the required period of time under any medical student loan agreement, such person shall repay to his or her issuing medical school an amount equal to the total of the amount of money received by the person pursuant to the medical student loan agreement plus annual interest at a rate of 9.5 percent as determined by the Vice Chancellor of Administration from the date the person first received the medical student loan begins repayment or fails to work full-time in an approved service commitment area.

Upon a finding of exceptional 6 Eng CS for HB 3150 circumstances made by the medical school that issued the medical student loan, the medical school may authorize the person to engage in less than the full-time practice of medicine within an approved service commitment area for the remaining required period of time under the medical student loan agreement and for an additional period of time that shall be equal to the length of time originally required multiplied by two:

7 Eng CS for HB 3150 (1) All unexpended health sciences scholarship loan repayment program funds on deposit in the State Treasury on the effective date of reenactment of this section;

and 8 Eng CS for HB 3150 (2)(3) Signs an agreement to practice for at least two years in an underserved area of West Virginia or, if pursuing a master’s degree in nursing, signs an agreement to teach at least two years for a school of nursing located in West Virginia, as may be determined by the Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences, after receiving the master’s degree.

(c)(d) Program awards shall be in an amount set by the Higher Education Policy Commission of at least $20,000 for medical and dental students and at least $10,000 for all others and may shall be awarded by the Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences Administration, with who may seek the advice of an advisory panel, from the pool of all applicants with a commitment to practice in an underserved area of West Virginia.

(d)(e) A If a program award recipient who fails to practice in an underserved area of West Virginia within six months of the completion of his or her training, or who if a program award recipient fails to complete his or her training or required teaching, is in breach of contract and is liable for repayment of the Vice Chancellor for Administration shall cancel the program awardaward. and any accrued interest.

and any accrued interest.

9 Eng CS for HB 3150 (e)(f) (1) There is created a mental health provider student loan repayment program to be administered by the Higher Education Policy Commission.

10 Eng CS for HB 3150 (3) Balances remaining in the fund at the end of the fiscal year do not expire or revert to the general revenue.

(f)(g) Rule.

(g)(h) As used in this section: