Senate File 2069 - Introduced
SENATE FILE
BY TINSMAN
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act establishing a dentist recruitment program and revolving
2 fund and making an appropriation.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. COLLEGE STUDENT AID COMMISSION == DENTIST
1 2 RECRUITMENT PROGRAM. There is appropriated from the general
1 3 fund of the state to the college student aid commission for
1 4 the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2006, and ending June 30,
1 5 2007, the following amount, or so much thereof as is
1 6 necessary, to be used for the purpose designated:
1 7 For the dentist recruiting program established pursuant to
1 8 section 261.23A:
1 9 .................................................. $ 250,000
1 10 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 261.23A DENTIST RECRUITMENT PROGRAM
1 11 == REVOLVING FUND.
1 12 1. A dentist recruitment program is established to be
1 13 administered by the college student aid commission for the
1 14 university of Iowa college of dentistry. The program shall
1 15 consist of a forgivable loan program and a rural community
1 16 loan repayment program for dentists. The commission shall
1 17 regularly adjust the dentist service requirement under each
1 18 aspect of the program to provide, to the extent possible, an
1 19 equal financial benefit for each period of service required.
1 20 From funds appropriated for purposes of the program by the
1 21 general assembly, the commission shall pay a fee to the
1 22 university of Iowa college of dentistry for administration of
1 23 the program. A portion of the fee shall be paid by the
1 24 commission to the university based upon the number of dental
1 25 students and dentists recruited under subsections 2 and 3.
1 26 2. a. The university of Iowa college of dentistry shall
1 27 provide recommendations to the commission for students who
1 28 meet the eligibility requirements of the forgivable loan
1 29 program under this subsection. A forgivable loan may be
1 30 awarded to a resident of Iowa who meets both of the following
1 31 conditions:
1 32 (1) Is enrolled on a full=time basis at the university of
1 33 Iowa college of dentistry.
1 34 (2) Agrees to practice dentistry in an area in this state
1 35 underserved by dentists for a period of time to be determined
2 1 by the commission at the time the loan is awarded.
2 2 b. The loan shall be for a term set by the commission.
2 3 Interest on the loan shall begin to accrue the day following
2 4 the date on which the student graduates from the university,
2 5 or on the date the student graduates from a residency program,
2 6 whichever date is later. If the student completes the period
2 7 of practice in the underserved area established by the
2 8 commission and agreed to by the student, the loan amount shall
2 9 be forgiven. Neither the loan amount nor the interest on the
2 10 loan amount shall be forgiven if the dentist fails to complete
2 11 the required time period of practice in the underserved area
2 12 of this state.
2 13 3. A dentist who graduated from the university of Iowa
2 14 college of dentistry shall be eligible for the rural community
2 15 loan repayment program if the dentist agrees to practice in an
2 16 eligible rural community in this state. The university of
2 17 Iowa college of dentistry shall recruit and place dentists in
2 18 rural communities that have agreed to provide additional funds
2 19 for the dentist's loan repayment. The contract for the loan
2 20 repayment shall stipulate the time period the dentist shall
2 21 practice in an eligible rural community in this state and
2 22 shall also stipulate that the dentist repay any funds paid on
2 23 the dentist's loan by the commission if the dentist fails to
2 24 practice in an eligible rural community in this state for the
2 25 required period of time. For purposes of this subsection,
2 26 "eligible rural community" means a rural community in this
2 27 state underserved by dentists that agrees to match state funds
2 28 provided on at least a dollar=for=dollar basis for the loan
2 29 repayment of a dentist who practices in the eligible rural
2 30 community.
2 31 4. The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter
2 32 17A to administer this section.
2 33 5. A dentist recruitment revolving fund is created in the
2 34 state treasury as a separate fund under the control of the
2 35 commission. The commission shall deposit payments made by
3 1 dentist recruitment program recipients and the proceeds from
3 2 the sale of loans made pursuant to subsection 2 into the
3 3 dentist recruitment revolving fund. Moneys credited to the
3 4 fund shall be used to supplement moneys appropriated for the
3 5 dentist recruitment program, for loan forgiveness to eligible
3 6 dentists, and to pay for loan or interest repayment defaults
3 7 by eligible dentists. Notwithstanding section 8.33, any
3 8 balance in the fund on June 30 of any fiscal year shall not
3 9 revert to the general fund of the state. Notwithstanding
3 10 section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest or earnings on moneys in
3 11 the dentist recruitment revolving fund shall be credited to
3 12 the fund.
3 13 EXPLANATION
3 14 This bill establishes a dentist recruitment program to be
3 15 administered by the college student aid commission for the
3 16 university of Iowa college of dentistry. The program consists
3 17 of a loan forgiveness program for students who agree to
3 18 practice in underserved areas upon graduation and a rural
3 19 community loan repayment program for dentists who agree to
3 20 serve in eligible rural communities. The bill appropriates
3 21 $250,000 to the college student aid commission for the 2006=
3 22 2007 fiscal year for the program. An eligible rural community
3 23 is a rural community underserved by dentists that agrees to
3 24 match state funds provided for the dentist's loans on at least
3 25 a $1=for=$1 basis.
3 26 From funds appropriated for the program by the general
3 27 assembly, the commission must pay a fee to the university of
3 28 Iowa college of dentistry for administration of the program
3 29 based upon the number of dental students and dentists
3 30 recruited.
3 31 Students are eligible for the loan forgiveness program if
3 32 they are residents of Iowa, are enrolled on a full=time basis
3 33 at the university of Iowa college of dentistry, and agree to
3 34 practice dentistry in an area underserved by dentists for a
3 35 period of time to be determined by the commission at the time
4 1 the loan is awarded.
4 2 A dentist who graduated from the university of Iowa college
4 3 of dentistry is eligible for the rural community loan
4 4 repayment program if the dentist agrees to practice in an
4 5 eligible rural community in this state for a time agreed to by
4 6 the dentist and the commission.
4 7 The dentist recruitment revolving fund is created in the
4 8 state treasury as a separate fund under the control of the
4 9 commission. Moneys in the fund derive from payments made by
4 10 dentist recruitment program recipients and the proceeds from
4 11 the sale of loans. Moneys in the fund must be used to
4 12 supplement moneys appropriated for the dentist recruitment
4 13 program, for loan forgiveness to eligible dentists, and to pay
4 14 for loan or interest repayment defaults by eligible dentists.
4 15 Moneys in the fund do not revert to the general fund and
4 16 interest or earnings on moneys in the fund are credited to the
4 17 fund.
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