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Senate File 167 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to eligibility for the health care loan
2repayment program.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 261.116, subsection 1, Code 2019, is
2amended by adding the following new paragraph:
3 NEW PARAGRAPH. 0b. “Mental health professional” means the
4same as defined in section 228.1.
5 Sec. 2. Section 261.116, subsection 2, Code 2019, is amended
6to read as follows:
72. Program established. A health care loan repayment
8program is established to be administered by the commission for
9purposes of repaying the qualified student loans of registered
10nurses, advanced registered nurse practitioners, mental health
11professionals, physician assistants, and nurse educators who
12practice full-time in a service commitment area or teach in
13this state, as appropriate, and who are selected for the
14program in accordance with this section. An applicant who is a
15member of the Iowa national guard is exempt from the service
16commitment area requirement, but shall submit an affidavit
17verifying the applicant is practicing full-time in this state.
18 Sec. 3. Section 261.116, subsection 3, paragraph c, Code
192019, is amended to read as follows:
20c. Complete and return, on a form approved by the
21commission, an affidavit of practice verifying that the
22applicant is a registered nurse, an advanced registered nurse
23practitioner, a mental health professional, or a physician
24assistant who is practicing full-time in a service commitment
25area in this state or is a nurse educator who teaches full-time
26in this state. If practice in a service commitment area is
27required as a condition of receiving loan repayment, the
28affidavit shall specify the service commitment area in which
29the applicant is practicing full-time.
30EXPLANATION
31The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
32the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
33This bill adds mental health professionals to the list of
34individuals who are eligible for loan repayment of qualified
35student loans under the health care loan repayment program
-1-1administered by the college student aid commission.
2Under the definition of “mental health professional” used
3for purposes of the program, a mental health professional is
4a person who either 1) holds at least a master’s degree in
5a mental health field, or is an advanced registered nurse
6practitioner, a physician assistant, or a physician and
7surgeon or an osteopathic physician and surgeon; holds a
8current Iowa license if practicing in a field covered by an
9Iowa licensure law; and has at least two years of post-degree
10clinical experience in assessing mental health needs and
11problems and in providing appropriate mental health services;
12or 2) holds a current Iowa license if practicing in a field
13covered by an Iowa licensure law and is a psychiatrist, an
14advanced registered nurse practitioner who holds a national
15certification in psychiatric mental health care and is licensed
16by the board of nursing, a physician assistant practicing under
17the supervision of a psychiatrist, or an individual who holds a
18doctorate degree in psychology and is licensed by the board of
19psychology.
20To qualify for the program, applicants must complete and
21return to the commission an affidavit of practice verifying
22that the applicant is or will be practicing full-time in a
23service commitment area in this state. The Act defines a
24service commitment area as a city in Iowa with a population of
25less than 26,000 that is located more than 20 miles from a city
26with a population of 50,000 or more.
27The annual amount of loan repayment to a program applicant is
28$6,000 or 20 percent of the recipient’s total qualified student
29loan, whichever amount is less.
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2repayment program.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 261.116, subsection 1, Code 2019, is
2amended by adding the following new paragraph:
3 NEW PARAGRAPH. 0b. “Mental health professional” means the
4same as defined in section 228.1.
5 Sec. 2. Section 261.116, subsection 2, Code 2019, is amended
6to read as follows:
72. Program established. A health care loan repayment
8program is established to be administered by the commission for
9purposes of repaying the qualified student loans of registered
10nurses, advanced registered nurse practitioners, mental health
11professionals, physician assistants, and nurse educators who
12practice full-time in a service commitment area or teach in
13this state, as appropriate, and who are selected for the
14program in accordance with this section. An applicant who is a
15member of the Iowa national guard is exempt from the service
16commitment area requirement, but shall submit an affidavit
17verifying the applicant is practicing full-time in this state.
18 Sec. 3. Section 261.116, subsection 3, paragraph c, Code
192019, is amended to read as follows:
20c. Complete and return, on a form approved by the
21commission, an affidavit of practice verifying that the
22applicant is a registered nurse, an advanced registered nurse
23practitioner, a mental health professional, or a physician
24assistant who is practicing full-time in a service commitment
25area in this state or is a nurse educator who teaches full-time
26in this state. If practice in a service commitment area is
27required as a condition of receiving loan repayment, the
28affidavit shall specify the service commitment area in which
29the applicant is practicing full-time.
30EXPLANATION
31The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
32the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
33This bill adds mental health professionals to the list of
34individuals who are eligible for loan repayment of qualified
35student loans under the health care loan repayment program
-1-1administered by the college student aid commission.
2Under the definition of “mental health professional” used
3for purposes of the program, a mental health professional is
4a person who either 1) holds at least a master’s degree in
5a mental health field, or is an advanced registered nurse
6practitioner, a physician assistant, or a physician and
7surgeon or an osteopathic physician and surgeon; holds a
8current Iowa license if practicing in a field covered by an
9Iowa licensure law; and has at least two years of post-degree
10clinical experience in assessing mental health needs and
11problems and in providing appropriate mental health services;
12or 2) holds a current Iowa license if practicing in a field
13covered by an Iowa licensure law and is a psychiatrist, an
14advanced registered nurse practitioner who holds a national
15certification in psychiatric mental health care and is licensed
16by the board of nursing, a physician assistant practicing under
17the supervision of a psychiatrist, or an individual who holds a
18doctorate degree in psychology and is licensed by the board of
19psychology.
20To qualify for the program, applicants must complete and
21return to the commission an affidavit of practice verifying
22that the applicant is or will be practicing full-time in a
23service commitment area in this state. The Act defines a
24service commitment area as a city in Iowa with a population of
25less than 26,000 that is located more than 20 miles from a city
26with a population of 50,000 or more.
27The annual amount of loan repayment to a program applicant is
28$6,000 or 20 percent of the recipient’s total qualified student
29loan, whichever amount is less.
-2-kh/jh