S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2341
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 22, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of A. GUNTHER, STECK, COOK, RAIA, McDONOUGH, CROUCH,
   MONTESANO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COLTON, PERRY -- read once
   and referred to the Committee on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to  establishing  the
   nurse loan repayment program

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 2807-m of the  public  health  law  is  amended  by
 adding a new subdivision 5-c to read as follows:
   5-C.  REGISTERED  NURSE  LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM. (A) BEGINNING JANUARY
 FIRST, TWO THOUSAND  TWENTY,  THE  COMMISSIONER  IS  AUTHORIZED,  WITHIN
 AMOUNTS  AVAILABLE  PURSUANT  TO  SUBDIVISION FIVE-A OF THIS SECTION, TO
 MAKE LOAN REPAYMENT AWARDS:
   (I) TO REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL  NURSES  OR  OTHER  LICENSED  PRACTICAL
 NURSES  SPECIALITIES  DETERMINED  BY  THE  COMMISSIONER  TO  BE IN SHORT
 SUPPLY, LICENSED TO PRACTICE NURSING PURSUANT  TO  ARTICLE  ONE  HUNDRED
 THIRTY-NINE  OF  THE  EDUCATION  LAW, WHO AGREE TO PRACTICE FOR AT LEAST
 FIVE YEARS IN AN UNDERSERVED AREA OR NURSING HOME, AS DETERMINED BY  THE
 COMMISSIONER.   SUCH REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSE OR LICENSED PRACTICAL
 NURSE SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A LOAN REPAYMENT AWARD OF UP TO ONE  HUNDRED
 FIFTY  THOUSAND  DOLLARS OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD DISTRIBUTED AS FOLLOWS:
 FIFTEEN PERCENT OF TOTAL LOAN DEBT NOT TO EXCEED TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS
 FOR THE FIRST YEAR; FIFTEEN PERCENT OF TOTAL LOAN  DEBT  NOT  TO  EXCEED
 TWENTY-FIVE  THOUSAND  DOLLARS  FOR  THE  SECOND YEAR; TWENTY PERCENT OF
 TOTAL LOAN DEBT NOT TO EXCEED THIRTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE THIRD
 YEAR; AND TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF TOTAL LOAN DEBT NOT TO  EXCEED  THIRTY-
 FIVE  THOUSAND  DOLLARS PER YEAR FOR THE FOURTH AND FIFTH YEARS OF PRAC-
 TICE IN SUCH AREA; AND
   (II) TO GENERAL HOSPITALS AND OTHER HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO  ADMINIS-
 TER  AS  PART OF THEIR RECRUITMENT PACKAGES; PROVIDED THE LOAN REPAYMENT
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00899-01-9
              

 A. 2341                             2
 
 AWARDS SHALL BE ADMINISTERED CONSISTENT  WITH  THE  PROVISIONS  OF  THIS
 SUBDIVISION.
   (B)  LOAN  REPAYMENT AWARDS MADE TO A REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSE OR
 LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A) OF  THIS  SUBDIVISION
 SHALL NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL QUALIFYING OUTSTANDING DEBT OF THE REGISTERED
 PROFESSIONAL  NURSE  OR  LICENSED  PRACTICAL NURSE FROM STUDENT LOANS TO
 COVER TUITION AND OTHER RELATED EDUCATIONAL EXPENSES, MADE BY OR GUARAN-
 TEED BY THE FEDERAL OR STATE GOVERNMENT, OR MADE BY A LENDING OR  EDUCA-
 TIONAL  INSTITUTION APPROVED UNDER TITLE IV OF THE FEDERAL HIGHER EDUCA-
 TION ACT.  LOAN REPAYMENT AWARDS SHALL BE  USED  SOLELY  TO  REPAY  SUCH
 OUTSTANDING DEBT.
   (C)  ANY RECIPIENT OF FUNDS PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION WHO PRACTICES
 LESS THAN TWO YEARS IN AN UNDERSERVED AREA OR NURSING  HOME,  AS  DETER-
 MINED  BY  THE COMMISSIONER, SHALL REPAY ALL FUNDS PAID IN AMOUNTS TO BE
 DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION,  AND  SHALL
 NO  LONGER  BE  ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE PAYMENTS UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION. THE
 RATE OF INTEREST APPLIED SHALL BE DETERMINED BY  THE  COMMISSIONER,  BUT
 WILL  NOT  BE  LESS THAN THE RATE OF INTEREST SET BY THE COMMISSIONER OF
 TAXATION AND FINANCE WITH RESPECT TO UNDERPAYMENTS  OF  PERSONAL  INCOME
 TAX PURSUANT TO SECTION SIX HUNDRED EIGHTY-FOUR OF THE TAX LAW.
   (D)  THE  COMMISSIONER  IS AUTHORIZED TO APPLY ANY FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR
 PURPOSES OF PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION FOR USE AS MATCHING  FUNDS
 FOR FEDERAL GRANTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASSISTING STATES IN OPERATING LOAN
 REPAYMENT  PROGRAMS  PURSUANT TO SECTION THREE HUNDRED THIRTY-EIGHT I OF
 THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT.
   (E) THE COMMISSIONER MAY, IN HIS OR  HER  SOLE  DISCRETION,  POSTPONE,
 CHANGE  OR WAIVE THE SERVICE OBLIGATION SET FORTH IN SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF
 PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.