HB 157 — An Act providing for grant awards to entities in rural counties and designated medically underserved areas to pay for the education debt of practitioners employed at the entity.

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.

99 THEPRINTER'S GENERALNO. ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.

157475 2025THE INTRODUCEDGENERAL BYASSEMBLY RAPP,OF FRANKEL,PENNSYLVANIA TWARDZIK,HOUSE SANCHEZ,BILL ZIMMERMAN,Session VENKAT, HOWARD, KHAN, CUTLER, GREINER, HILL-EVANS, FREEMAN, PICKETT AND WEBSTER, JANUARY 14, 2025 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, JANUARY 14, 2025 AN ACT Prodesignated medically underserved areas to pay for the and education debt of practitionersNo. employed at the entity.

157 2025 INTRODUCED BY RAPP, FRANKEL, TWARDZIK, SANCHEZ, ZIMMERMAN, VENKAT, HOWARD, KHAN, CUTLER, GREINER, HILL-EVANS, FREEMAN, PICKETT, WEBSTER, GREEN, BOROWSKI AND HANBIDGE, JANUARY 14, 2025 AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, FEBRUARY 5, 2025 AN ACT Providing for grant awards to entities in rural counties and designated medically underserved areas to pay for the education debt of practitioners employed at the entity.

"DENTAL HYGIENIST." AS DEFINED IN SECTION 2 OF THE ACT OF <-- MAY 1, 1933 (P.L.216, NO.76), KNOWN AS THE DENTAL LAW.

"DENTIST." AN INDIVIDUAL LICENSED IN THE PRACTICE OF DENTISTRY UNDER THE DENTAL LAW.

20250HB0157PN0475 - 2 - "Hospital." A general acute care or specialty hospital located in a designated medically underserved area or rural county.

"Licensed practical nurse." An individual licensed to practice practical nursing under the act of March 2, 1956 (1955 20250HB0157PN0099 - 2 - P.L.1211, No.376), known as the Practical Nurse Law.

"Practitioner.""PRACTICE AOF physician,DENTISTRY." nurseAS orDEFINED midwifeIN orSECTION nurse-2 midwife.OF THE <-- DENTAL LAW.

"Program.""Practitioner." TheA Ruralphysician, Healthnurse Careor, Grantmidwife Programor establishednurse- under<-- sectionmidwife, 4.DENTIST OR DENTAL HYGIENIST.

<-- "Program." The Rural Health Care Grant Program established under section 4.

20250HB0157PN0475 - 3 - Section 4.

20250HB0157PN0099 - 3 - (b) Distribution by entity.--An entity shall use the grant awarded under subsection (a) to pay for the education debt of practitioners that the entity employs according to the following:

(a) Criteria for grant from department.--The department shall award a grant to an entity that is located in a designated 20250HB0157PN0475 - 4 - medically underserved area or rural county.

20250HB0157PN0099 - 4 - (2) The amount distributed to a practitioner may not exceed the amount owed in education debt.

(b) Certification.--An entity shall certify in good faith 20250HB0157PN0475 - 5 - that the information provided in the application and all supporting documents and forms are true and accurate in all material aspects.

20250HB0157PN0099 - 5 - (a) Selection.--The department shall select an appropriate number of entities to receive a grant under this act each calendar year, dependent upon the amount of money appropriated for the program by the General Assembly.

20250HB0157PN0475 - 6 - Section 10.

(2) For approved grants, the department shall award a grant to an entity in increments of $10,000 up to the limit 20250HB0157PN0099 - 6 - under section 6(b)(1).

20250HB0157PN0475 - 7 - (5) The amount of each grant awarded.

(b) Confidentiality.--The name, address and other personal 20250HB0157PN0099 - 7 - information of a practitioner who received a payment of education debt from an entity may not be listed on the department's publicly accessible Internet website and may not be considered accessible under the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law.

20250HB0157PN0475 - 8 - Section 13.

If an entity or practitioner fails to comply with the requirements of this act, the entity or practitioner shall reimburse the Commonwealth for the amount of the grant received or awarded based on the period of noncompliance, including interest 20250HB0157PN0099 - 8 - accrued, as determined by the department based on a determination of which party violated this act.

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