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| Public Act 094-0368 |
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AN ACT concerning loan repayment assistance for | ||||
physicians.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | ||||
represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. Short title.
This Act may be cited as the Loan
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Repayment Assistance for Physicians Act.
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Section 5. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to | ||||
establish a
program in the Department of Public Health to | ||||
increase the total number
of physicians in this State by | ||||
providing educational loan repayment assistance grants
to
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physicians.
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Section 10. Definitions. In this Act, unless the context | ||||
otherwise requires:
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"Department" means the Department of Public Health.
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"Educational loans" means higher education student loans | ||||
that a
person has incurred in attending a registered | ||||
professional physician
education program.
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"Physician" means a person licensed under the Medical | ||||
Practice Act of 1987 to practice medicine in all of its | ||||
branches.
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"Program" means the educational loan repayment assistance | ||||
program for
physicians established by the Department under this | ||||
Act.
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Section 15. Establishment of program. The Department shall
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establish an educational loan repayment assistance program for | ||||
physicians who
practice in Illinois. The Department shall | ||||
administer
the program and make all necessary and proper rules | ||||
not inconsistent
with this Act for the program's effective | ||||
implementation. The
Department may use up to 5% of the | ||||
appropriation for this program for
administration and | ||||
promotion of physician incentive programs.
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Section 20. Application. Beginning July 1, 2005, the
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Department shall, each year, consider applications for
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assistance under the program. The form of application and the
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information required to be set forth in the application shall | ||
be
determined by the Department, and the Department shall | ||
require
applicants to submit with their applications such | ||
supporting
documents as the Department deems necessary.
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Section 25. Eligibility. To be eligible for
assistance | ||
under the program, an applicant must meet all of the
following | ||
qualifications:
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(1) He or she must be a citizen or permanent resident | ||
of the
United States.
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(2) He or she must be a resident of Illinois.
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(3) He or she must be practicing full-time in Illinois | ||
as a physician.
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(4) He or she must currently be repaying educational | ||
loans.
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(5) He or she must agree to continue full-time practice | ||
in Illinois for 3 years.
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Section 30. The award of grants. Under the program, for | ||
each year
that a qualified applicant practices full-time in | ||
Illinois as a physician, the Department shall, subject to | ||
appropriation, award
a grant to that person in an amount equal | ||
to the amount in
educational loans that the person must repay | ||
that year. However, the
total amount in grants that a person | ||
may be awarded under the program
shall not exceed $25,000. The | ||
Department shall require recipients to
use the grants to pay | ||
off their educational loans.
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Section 35. Penalty for failure to fulfill obligation. Loan | ||
repayment recipients who fail to practice full-time in Illinois | ||
for 3 years shall repay the Department a sum equal to 3 times | ||
the amount received under the program. | ||
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, | ||
2005. | ||