HOUSE BILL No. 5695

 

 

March 7, 2018, Introduced by Reps. Peterson, Cochran, Dianda, Chirkun, Santana and Jones and referred to the Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs.

 

     A bill to create a medical providers' loan repayment program;

 

to provide for educational loan assistance under certain

 

circumstances; and to prescribe the power and duties of certain

 

state agencies.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 1. This act must be known and may be cited as the

 

"veterans' home medical providers' loan repayment act."

 

     Sec. 3. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Department" means the department of military and veterans

 

affairs.

 

     (b) "Medical providers' loan repayment program" or "program"

 

means the loan repayment program created in section 5.

 

     (c) "Michigan veterans' facility" means a Michigan veterans'

 

facility established under 1885 PA 152, MCL 36.1 to 36.12.

 

     Sec. 5. The medical providers' loan repayment program is

created in the department. The program must provide assistance,

 

subject to appropriation, to eligible physicians and nurses.

 

     Sec. 7. (1) The department shall annually receive and consider

 

applications for grant assistance under the medical providers' loan

 

repayment program. An applicant is eligible for a grant from the

 

program if the department determines that the applicant satisfies

 

all of the following conditions:

 

     (a) Is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.

 

     (b) Is a resident of this state.

 

     (c) Is working as a physician, certified nurse practitioner,

 

registered professional nurse, certified nurse assistant, or

 

licensed practical nurse in a Michigan veterans' facility.

 

     (d) Is a borrower with an outstanding balance due on an

 

educational loan.

 

     (e) Has not defaulted on an educational loan.

 

     (2) The department may give preference in making a grant to an

 

individual who has previously received a grant under the program if

 

the individual continues to meet the eligibility requirements

 

listed in subsection (1).

 

     (3) For each year in which an individual receives a grant

 

under the program, he or she shall work as a medical professional

 

listed in subsection (1) in a Michigan veterans' facility for a

 

separate 12-month period.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days

 

after the date it is enacted into law.