103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB4940

 

Introduced 2/7/2024, by Rep. Katie Stuart

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Loan Repayment Assistance for Optometrists Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall establish an educational loan repayment assistance program for optometrists who practice in this State to increase the total number of optometrists in this State. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2025, the Department shall, each year, consider applications for assistance under the program; sets forth other provisions concerning applications for assistance. Provides that an applicant is eligible for assistance if, among other qualifications, the applicant is practicing full time in this State as an optometrist, is currently repaying educational loans, and agrees to continue full time practice in this State for at least 3 years. Provides that for each year that a qualified applicant practices full time in this State as an optometrist, the Department shall award a grant to that person in an amount equal to the amount in educational loans that the person must repay that year; specifies other grant requirements. Sets forth provisions concerning administration, rulemaking, appropriations, and a penalty for the failure to fulfill the work obligation. Effective January 1, 2025.


LRB103 36389 RJT 66490 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4940LRB103 36389 RJT 66490 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Loan
5Repayment Assistance for Optometrists Act.
 
6    Section 5. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to
7establish a program in the Department of Public Health to
8increase the total number of optometrists in this State by
9providing educational loan repayment assistance grants to
10optometrists.
 
11    Section 10. Definitions. In this Act, unless the context
12otherwise requires:
13    "Department" means the Department of Public Health.
14    "Educational loans" means higher education student loans
15that a person has incurred in attending an approved
16professional optometric education program.
17    "Optometrist" means a person licensed under the Illinois
18Optometric Practice Act of 1987 to practice optometry.
19    "Program" means the educational loan repayment assistance
20program for optometrists established by the Department under
21this Act.
 

 

 

HB4940- 2 -LRB103 36389 RJT 66490 b

1    Section 15. Establishment of program. The Department shall
2establish an educational loan repayment assistance program for
3optometrists who practice in this State. The Department shall
4administer the program and make all necessary and proper rules
5not inconsistent with this Act for the program's effective
6implementation. The Department may use up to 5% of the
7appropriation for this program for administration and
8promotion of optometrist incentive programs.
 
9    Section 20. Application. Beginning July 1, 2025, the
10Department shall, each year, consider applications for
11assistance under the program. The form of application and the
12information required to be set forth in the application shall
13be determined by the Department, and the Department shall
14require applicants to submit with their applications such
15supporting documents as the Department deems necessary.
 
16    Section 25. Eligibility. To be eligible for assistance
17under the program, an applicant must meet all of the following
18qualifications:
19        (1) He or she must be a citizen or permanent resident
20    of the United States.
21        (2) He or she must be a resident of this State.
22        (3) He or she must be practicing full time in this
23    State as an optometrist.
24        (4) He or she must currently be repaying educational

 

 

HB4940- 3 -LRB103 36389 RJT 66490 b

1    loans.
2        (5) He or she must agree to continue full time
3    practice in this State for at least 3 years.
 
4    Section 30. Award of grants. Under the program, for each
5year that a qualified applicant practices full time in this
6State as an optometrist, the Department shall, subject to
7appropriation, award a grant to that person in an amount equal
8to the amount in educational loans that the person must repay
9that year. However, the total amount in grants that a person
10may be awarded under the program may not exceed $25,000. The
11Department shall require recipients to use the grants to pay
12off their educational loans.
 
13    Section 35. Penalty for failure to fulfill obligation.
14Loan repayment recipients who fail to practice full time in
15this State for at least 3 years shall repay the Department a
16sum equal to the amount received under the program, plus
17interest.
 
18    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
191, 2025.