LB 312 — Include nurse anesthesia practice and dietitian nutrition practice under the Rural Health Systems and Professional Incentive Act

LB312 LB312 2025 LEGISLATURELEGISLATIVE OFBILL NEBRASKA312 ONEApproved HUNDREDby NINTHthe LEGISLATUREGovernor FIRSTApril SESSION7, LEGISLATIVE2025 BILL 312 FINAL READING   Introduced by S40;Strommen, 47;

Ballard, 21;

Clouse, 37;

DeBoer, 10;

DeKay, 40;

Holdcroft, 36;y,36; Ibach, 44;

Ibach, 44;

Read  firstA timeBILL JanuaryFOR 16,AN 2025ACT Committee:relating to the Rural Health Systems and Professional Incentive Act;

Health and Human Services A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to the Rural Health Systems and Professional Incentive Act;

Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska, -1- LB312 LB312 2025 Section 1.

71-5662 (1)71-5662 (1) To be eligible for a student loan under the Rural Health Systems and Professional Incentive Act, an applicant or a recipient shall be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in any of the following an accredited programs in Nebraska:

, -2- LB312 LB312 2025 (c) Not not be enrolled in a residency program;

(3) The amount of financial assistance provided by the state through loan repayments pursuant to the act (a) for physicians, psychiatrists, dentists, and psychologists shall be limited to thirty thousand dollars per recipient per year of full-time practice in a designated health profession shortage area and, except as provided in subdivision (4)(c) of this section, shall not exceed ninety thousand dollars per recipient and (b) for physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, pharmacists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, dietitian nutritionists, and mental health practitioners shall be limited to fifteen thousand dollars per recipient per year of full-time practice in a designated health profession shortage area and, except as provided in -3- LB312 LB312 2025 subdivision (4)(c) of this section, shall not exceed forty-five thousand dollars per recipient.

-1- LB312 LB312 2025 (4)(a) The total amount of financial assistance provided through student loans for a doctorate-level mental health student or master's level mental health student shall be the full amount of such loans for a person who practices psychiatry, psychology, or mental health practice:

Section 71-5665, Revised Statutes Cumulative Supplement, -4- LB312 LB312 2025 2024, is amended to read:

(1) The loan repayment recipient agrees to practice his or her profession, and a physician, psychiatrist, dentist, nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, dietitian nutritionist, or physician assistant also agrees to practice an approved specialty, in a designated health profession shortage area for at least three years, or the period required -5- LB312 LB312 2025 by subdivision (4)(c) of section 71-5663, and to accept medicaid patients in his or her practice;

(5) For a loan repayment recipient seeking benefits under subdivision (4)(c)(4) -2- LB312 LB312 2025 (c) of section 71-5663, the recipient agrees to such other -6- LB312 LB312 2025 terms as the department deems appropriate;

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