S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1200
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
January 11, 2019
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Introduced by Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to creating the New York
state rural doctors and nurses loan forgiveness program
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 679-k
to read as follows:
§ 679-K. NEW YORK STATE RURAL DOCTORS AND NURSES LOAN FORGIVENESS
PROGRAM. 1. PURPOSE. THE PRESIDENT SHALL GRANT STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS
AWARDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ATTRACTING DOCTORS AND NURSES TO BE EMPLOYED
IN RURAL AREAS THROUGHOUT NEW YORK STATE ON A FULL-TIME BASIS.
2. ELIGIBILITY. TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN AWARD PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION,
APPLICANTS SHALL:
(A) HAVE GRADUATED AND OBTAINED A DEGREE FROM AN APPROVED NEW YORK
STATE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY;
(B) BE EMPLOYED AS A DOCTOR OF MEDICINE, DOCTOR OF OSTEOPATHY, PROFES-
SIONAL OR PRACTICAL NURSE, NURSE PRACTITIONER, OR CLINICAL NURSE
SPECIALIST IN NEW YORK STATE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTIONS SIXTY-FIVE
HUNDRED TWENTY-FOUR, SIXTY-NINE HUNDRED FIVE, SIXTY-NINE HUNDRED SIX,
SIXTY-NINE HUNDRED TEN AND SIXTY-NINE HUNDRED ELEVEN OF THIS CHAPTER;
(C) COMPLY WITH SUBDIVISIONS THREE AND FIVE OF SECTION SIX HUNDRED
SIXTY-ONE OF THIS PART; AND
(D) MAKE A COMMITMENT TO PRACTICE IN A RURAL AREA FOR THE DURATION OF
THE AWARD.
3. DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE TERM "RURAL"
SHALL MEAN A TRACT OR COUNTY DEFINED BY THE HEALTH RESOURCES AND
SERVICES ADMINISTRATION AS BEING RURAL OR ELIGIBLE FOR A RURAL HEALTH
GRANT.
4. PRIORITY. SUCH AWARDS SHALL BE MADE ANNUALLY TO APPLICANTS IN THE
FOLLOWING PRIORITY:
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04976-01-9
S. 1200 2
(A) FIRST PRIORITY SHALL BE GIVEN TO APPLICANTS WHO HAVE RECEIVED
PAYMENT OF AN AWARD PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION IN A PRIOR YEAR AND WHO, IN
THE YEAR PRIOR TO APPLICATION, ARE DOCTORS OR NURSES IN A RURAL AREA;
AND
(B) SECOND PRIORITY SHALL BE GIVEN TO APPLICANTS WHO HAVE NOT RECEIVED
PAYMENT OF AN AWARD PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION IN A PRIOR YEAR AND WHO ARE
DOCTORS OR NURSES IN A RURAL AREA IN THE YEAR PRIOR TO SUCH APPLICATION.
5. AWARDS. THE CORPORATION SHALL GRANT AWARDS PURSUANT TO THE AMOUNT
APPROPRIATED FOR SUCH PURPOSE AND BASED ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS IN AN
AMOUNT UP TO FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EMPLOYED FULL-
TIME AS DOCTORS OR NURSES FOR THE YEAR PRIOR TO SUCH APPLICATION,
PROVIDED THAT NO RECIPIENT SHALL RECEIVE AN AWARD THAT EXCEEDS THE TOTAL
REMAINING BALANCE OF THE STUDENT LOAN DEBT PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, IN
EXCESS OF TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
6. RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE CORPORATION IS AUTHORIZED TO PROMULGATE
RULES AND REGULATIONS AND MAY PROMULGATE EMERGENCY REGULATIONS NECESSARY
FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION. IN THE EVENT
THAT THERE ARE MORE APPLICANTS WHO HAVE THE SAME PRIORITY, AS PROVIDED
IN SUBDIVISION FOUR OF THIS SECTION, THAN THERE ARE REMAINING AWARDS,
THE CORPORATION SHALL PROVIDE IN REGULATION THE METHOD OF DISTRIBUTING
THE REMAINING NUMBER OF SUCH AWARDS, WHICH MAY INCLUDE A LOTTERY OR
OTHER FORM OF RANDOM SELECTION.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law.