MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2022 Regular Session
To: Universities and Colleges; Appropriations
By: Senator(s) Parks, Michel, DeBar, Williams, Polk, Frazier, Butler (36th), Hopson, Parker, Jackson (11th), Hickman
AN ACT TO CREATE THE HOSPITAL NURSES AND ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL RETENTION LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM; TO PROVIDE AWARDS TO CERTAIN NURSES AND ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WHO APPLY SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS; TO SET ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS; TO EXCLUDE CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF PERSONS FROM ELIGIBILITY; TO REQUIRE THAT RECIPIENTS MAINTAIN CURRENT EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION AT ALL TIMES WITH THE STATE FINANCIAL AID BOARD; TO PROVIDE THAT AMOUNTS AWARDED BE PAID TO THE RECIPIENT'S LENDER OR LOAN SERVICE PROVIDER; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) There is established the "Hospital Nurses and Allied Health Professional Retention Loan Repayment Program" for new nursing and allied health profession graduates to be administered by the State Financial Aid Board.
(2) Subject to the availability of funds, an eligible applicant for an initial award must have:
(a) Legal residency in the State of Mississippi;
(b) Graduated from a degree-granting institution of higher learning that is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools or a comparable accreditation body of another region;
(c) Gained recent employment
for the first time as a licensed practical nurse * * *, licensed registered nurse or allied
health professional at a general acute care hospital in the State of
Mississippi that is licensed by the Mississippi State Department of Health;
(d) A current
Mississippi * * * professional license; and
(e) Outstanding qualifying educational loans, received while pursuing a nursing or allied health profession degree, which may include the principal, interest, and related expenses such as the required interest premium on the unpaid balances of government and commercial loans obtained by the recipient for educational expense.
(3) Persons who have received funds from other forgivable loan programs at the same degree level established for nurses or allied health professionals under Mississippi law, or who are in default or delinquent on any federal, state, local or commercial qualifying educational loan, are not eligible for this program.
(4) Recipients in the initial
year of the program will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis from
all eligible applicants. In the second and subsequent years of an applicant's
continued eligibility, priority shall be given to renewal applicants. In any
given year no more than one hundred fifty (150) new registered nurse applicants * * *, fifty (50) new licensed practical
nurse applicants and twenty-five (25) new allied health professional applicants
may receive funds under the program.
(5) Awards for recipients who are employed at a licensed general acute care hospital in the state are as follows:
(a) Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00) for the first year of employment;
(b) Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00) for the second year of employment; and
(c) Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00) for the third year of employment.
(6) A recipient shall not be penalized for ending employment at a licensed general acute care hospital in the State of Mississippi if the recipient begins working for another licensed general acute care hospital in the State of Mississippi during the year on which the award is based.
(7) Awards will be granted on a year-to-year basis, and recipients have no obligation to seek a subsequent award.
(8) Awards shall be paid annually, after the expiration of the year of employment for which the award was granted, to the recipient's lender or loan service provider, to be applied to the outstanding balance. Monies paid by the recipient or on the recipient's behalf toward qualifying educational loans before payment of the award are not eligible for reimbursement through the program.
(9) During the employment year for which the award is granted, a recipient must at all times keep the State Financial Aid Board informed of any changes to the recipient's current, correct, and complete employment information and status.
(10) Recipients who fail to
maintain a * * * Mississippi professional license
or fail to fulfill the year of employment on which the award was based forfeit
any right to the award.
(11) The State Financial
Aid Board, in collaboration with the * * * licensing board of the nurse or other health care professional
eligible to receive funds under this program, must track award recipients under
this program through their fifth employment year, unless the recipient leaves
employment * * * at a licensed general acute care
hospital in the state at an earlier date. Data collected must include each recipients'
place of employment and any other pertinent information necessary to determine
the efficacy of the program in retaining nurses and allied health professionals
in licensed general acute care hospitals in the state of Mississippi. The board must submit a report of the information
collected under this subsection (11) to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee by
October 1 of each year, and include information concerning the number of submitted
applications and the amount of grant funds awarded to each applicant.
(12) The State Financial Aid Board must promulgate regulations necessary for the proper administration of this section, including setting a fiscal year policy for the program and application dates and deadlines.
(13) There is established in the State Treasury a special fund to be designated the "Hospital Nursing and Allied Health Professional Loan Repayment Program," into which shall be deposited those funds appropriated by the Legislature, and any other funds that may be made available, for the purpose of implementing the loan repayment program established herein. Money in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall not lapse into the General Fund, and interest earned on any amounts deposited into the fund shall be credited to the special fund.
(14) This section shall stand repealed on July 1, 2026.
SECTION 2. Section 37-106-59, Mississippi Code of 1972, which establishes a forgivable loan program for baccalaureate and graduate studies in nursing, is repealed from and after July 1, 2022.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.