What's happening
This bill establishes a nurse loan repayment program offering up to $150,000 for nurses who work at least five years in underserved areas or nursing homes.
Why it matters
Targets critical workforce shortages. by incentivizing nurses to work in areas and facilities—like nursing homes—that often face severe staffing gaps, aiming to improve healthcare access for vulnerable populations.
Significantly reduces financial barriers for nurses. by offering substantial loan repayment (up to $150,000), making the profession more accessible to individuals who might otherwise be deterred by educational debt.
Provides flexibility for both nurses and employers. not only can individual nurses apply, but hospitals and healthcare providers can include these repayment awards in recruitment packages, potentially strengthening their ability to attract and retain talent.
Includes accountability measures and federal funding opportunities. recipients must commit to service or repay funds (with interest if obligations aren’t met), and the state can leverage available funds to secure additional federal grants, potentially expanding the program’s impact.
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Who cares
Registered professional nurses and licensed practical nurses in shortage specialties
Eligible nurses could receive up to $150,000 in student loan repayment over five years by agreeing to practice in an underserved area or nursing home, but leaving before two years would trigger repayment with interest and loss of future payments.
General hospitals and other health care providers
They could receive loan repayment awards to administer as part of nurse recruitment packages, subject to the program’s requirements.
Nursing homes and health care providers in underserved areas
The five-year service commitment could help them recruit nurses with qualifying student debt.
State Department of Health
The commissioner would determine eligible shortage specialties and service locations, oversee awards within available funding, and have discretion to postpone, change or waive service obligations.
Headline styles
Help Nurses Repay Loans
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
7 Co-sponsors
2 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Pay Off Nurse Student Loans
In Senate Committee · Health · Sponsor Kevin S. Parker
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2341
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
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 Assembly, 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 thirtyfive thousand dollars per year for the fourth and fifth years of practice in such area; and
(ii) to general hospitals and other health care providers to administer 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 guaranteed by the federal or state government, or made by a lending or educational institution approved under title IV of the federal higher education 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 determined 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.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
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