Sen. William R. Haine

Filed: 3/16/2007

 

 


 

 


 
09500SB0387sam001 LRB095 10642 NHT 33430 a

1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 387

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 387 by replacing
3 everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4     "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Loan
5 Repayment Assistance for Dentists Act.
 
6     Section 5. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to establish
7 a program in the Department of Public Health to increase the
8 total number of dentists and dental specialists practicing in
9 designated shortage areas in this State by providing
10 educational loan repayment assistance grants to dentists and
11 dental specialists.
 
12     Section 10. Definitions. In this Act, unless the context
13 otherwise requires:
14     "Dental payments" means compensation provided to dentists
15 and dental specialists for services rendered under Article V of

 

 

09500SB0387sam001 - 2 - LRB095 10642 NHT 33430 a

1 the Illinois Public Aid Code.
2     "Dental specialist" means a person who has received a
3 license as a dentist in this State and who is trained and
4 qualified to practice in one or more of the following
5 specialties of dentistry: endodontics, oral and maxillofacial
6 surgery, orthodontics, pedodontics, periodontics, and
7 prosthodontics.
8     "Dentist" means a person who has received a general license
9 pursuant to paragraph (a) of Section 11 of the Illinois Dental
10 Practice Act, who may perform any intraoral and extraoral
11 procedure required in the practice of dentistry, and to whom is
12 reserved the responsibilities specified in Section 17 of the
13 Illinois Dental Practice Act.
14     "Department" means the Department of Public Health.
15     "Designated shortage area" means a medically underserved
16 area or health manpower shortage area as defined by the United
17 States Department of Health and Human Services or as otherwise
18 designated by the Department of Public Health.
19     "Educational loans" means higher education student loans
20 that a person has incurred in attending a registered
21 professional dental education program in this State.
22     "Program" means the educational loan repayment assistance
23 program for dentists and dental specialists established by the
24 Department under this Act.
 
25     Section 15. Establishment of program. The Department shall

 

 

09500SB0387sam001 - 3 - LRB095 10642 NHT 33430 a

1 establish an educational loan repayment assistance program for
2 dentists and dental specialists who practice in designated
3 shortage areas in this State and who accept certain dental
4 payments as defined under this Act. The Department shall
5 administer the program and make all necessary and proper rules
6 not inconsistent with this Act for the program's effective
7 implementation. The Department may use up to 5% of the
8 appropriation for this program for administration and
9 promotion of dentist and dental specialist incentive programs.
 
10     Section 20. Application. Beginning July 1, 2007, the
11 Department shall, each year, consider 4 applications for
12 assistance under the program. The form of application and the
13 information required to be set forth in the application shall
14 be determined by the Department, and the Department shall
15 require applicants to submit with their applications such
16 supporting documents as the Department deems necessary.
 
17     Section 25. Eligibility. To be eligible for assistance
18 under the program, an applicant must meet all of the following
19 qualifications:
20         (1) He or she must be a citizen or permanent resident
21     of the United States.
22         (2) He or she must be a resident of this State.
23         (3) He or she must be practicing full time in this
24     State as a dentist or dental specialist.

 

 

09500SB0387sam001 - 4 - LRB095 10642 NHT 33430 a

1         (4) He or she must currently be repaying educational
2     loans.
3         (5) He or she must accept dental payments as defined in
4     this Act.
5         (6) He or she must continue full-time practice in this
6     State in a designated shortage area for 2 years.
 
7     Section 30. The award of grants. Under the program, for
8 each year that a qualified applicant practices full time in
9 this State in a designated shortage area as a dentist or dental
10 specialist, the Department shall, subject to appropriation,
11 award a grant to that person in an amount equal to the amount
12 in educational loans that the person must repay that year.
13 However, the total amount in grants that a person may be
14 awarded under the program must not exceed $25,000 per year for
15 a 4-year period. The Department shall require recipients to use
16 the grants to pay off their educational loans.
 
17     Section 35. Penalty for failure to fulfill obligation. Loan
18 repayment recipients who fail to practice full time in a
19 designated shortage area, as provided in this Act, shall repay
20 the Department a sum equal to the amount received under the
21 program, plus interest.
 
22     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
23 2007.".