HB6552 Engrossed

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    AN ACT concerning loan repayment assistance for 
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physicians. 

 
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    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
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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 
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establish a
program in the Department of Public Health to 
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increase the total number
of physicians in this State by 
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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 
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otherwise requires:


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    "Department" means the Department of Public Health.


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    "Educational loans" means higher education student loans 
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that a
person has incurred in attending a registered 
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professional physician
education program.


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    "Physician" means a person licensed under the Medical 
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Practice Act of 1987 to practice medicine in all of its 
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branches.


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    "Program" means the educational loan repayment assistance 
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program for
physicians established by the Department under this 
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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 
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physicians who
practice in Illinois. The Department shall 
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administer
the program and make all necessary and proper rules 
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not inconsistent
with this Act for the program's effective 
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implementation. The
Department may use up to 5% of the 
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appropriation for this program for
administration and 
 


 






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promotion of physician incentive programs.



 
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    Section 20. Application.  Beginning July 1, 2004, 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 
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be
determined by the Department, and the Department shall 
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require
applicants to submit with their applications such 
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supporting
documents as the Department deems necessary.



 
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    Section 25. Eligibility.  To be eligible for
assistance 
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under the program, an applicant must meet all of the
following 
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qualifications:


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        (1) He or she must be a citizen or permanent resident 
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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 
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as a physician.


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        (4) He or she must currently be repaying educational 
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loans.


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        (5) He or she must agree to continue full-time practice 
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in Illinois for 3 years.

 
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    Section 30. The award of grants.  Under the program, for 
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each year
that a qualified applicant practices full-time in 
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Illinois as a physician, the Department shall, subject to 
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appropriation, award
a grant to that person in an amount equal 
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to the amount in
educational loans that the person must repay 
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that year. However, the
total amount in grants that a person 
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may be awarded under the program
shall not exceed $25,000. The 
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Department shall require recipients to
use the grants to pay 
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off their educational loans.



 
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    Section 35. Penalty for failure to fulfill obligation.  Loan 
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repayment recipients who fail to practice full-time in Illinois 
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for 3 years shall repay the Department a sum equal to 3 times 
 


 






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the amount received under the program.
 
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    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 
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2004.