MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2017 Regular Session
To: Universities and Colleges; Appropriations
By: Senator(s) Harkins
AN ACT TO SUSPEND FIRST-TIME AWARDS UNDER THE STATE MEDICAL EDUCATION FORGIVABLE LOAN PROGRAM, STATE DENTAL EDUCATION FORGIVABLE LOAN PROGRAM, GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL DEGREE FORGIVABLE LOAN PROGRAM AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONS FORGIVABLE LOAN PROGRAM AFTER THE 2016-2017 ACADEMIC YEAR; TO PROVIDE THAT THESE PROGRAMS SHALL STAND REPEALED ON JULY 1, 2020; TO AMEND SECTIONS 37-106-61, 37-106-63, 37-106-65, 37-106-67 AND 37-106-73, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM; TO REPEAL SECTION 37-106-35, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE ASSISTANT TEACHER FORGIVABLE LOAN PROGRAM; TO REPEAL SECTION 37-106-41, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE SOUTHEAST ASIA PRISONER OF WAR/MISSING IN ACTION GRANT PROGRAM; TO REPEAL SECTIONS 37-106-43 AND 37-110-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDE FOR THE PUBLIC MANAGEMENT GRADUATE INTERN PROGRAM; TO REPEAL SECTION 37-106-69, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE FAMILY PROTECTION SPECIALIST SOCIAL WORKER FORGIVABLE LOAN PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 37-106-61, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-106-61. (1) There is hereby created the State Medical Forgivable Loan Program. The purpose of such program shall be to enable eligible applicants who desire to become physicians to obtain a medical education in the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, which will qualify them to become licensed, practicing physicians and surgeons.
(2) The board shall establish, by rule and regulation, the maximum annual award which may be made under this program at an amount not to exceed the cost of tuition and other expenses, and shall establish the maximum number of awards which may be made not to exceed the length of time required to complete the degree requirements and internship or residency. No student shall be eligible to receive an award for the first time in this program after the 2016-2017 academic year.
(3) Repayment and conversion terms shall be the same as those outlined in Section 37-106-53 and shall include the following:
(a) Payment in full of principal and interest must be made in sixty (60) or less equal monthly installments;
(b) In lieu of payment in full of both principal and interest, a loan recipient may elect to repay by entry into public health work at a state health institution as defined in Section 37-106-67(2), or community health centers that are grantees under Section 330 of the United States Public Health Service Act;
(c) In lieu of payment in full of both principal and interest, a loan recipient may elect to repay by entry into the practice of medicine in a primary health care field in an area outside of a metropolitan statistical area, as defined and established by the United States Census Bureau, and within a region ranking between 1 and 54, inclusively, on the Relative Needs Index of Five Factors for Primary Care Physicians, as annually determined by the State Board of Health, for a period of five (5) years.
(4) The board shall establish the rules and regulations as it deems necessary and proper to carry out the purposes and intent of this section.
(5) This section shall stand repealed on July 1, 2020.
SECTION 2. Section 37-106-63, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-106-63. (1) There is hereby created the State Dental Forgivable Loan Program. The purpose of the program shall be to enable eligible applicants who desire to become dentists to obtain a standard four-year education in the study of dentistry in the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry, which will qualify them to become licensed, practicing dentists.
(2) The board shall establish, by rule and regulation, the maximum annual award which may be made under this program at an amount not to exceed the cost of tuition and other expenses, and shall establish the maximum number of awards, which may be made not to exceed the length of time required to complete the degree requirements. No student shall be eligible to receive an award for the first time in this program after the 2016-2017 academic year.
(3) Repayment and conversion terms shall be the same as those outlined in Section 37-106-53 and shall include the following:
(a) Payment in full of principal and interest must be made in sixty (60) or less equal monthly installments;
(b) In lieu of payment in full of both principal and interest, a loan recipient may elect to repay by entry into public health work at a state health institution as defined in Section 37-106-67(2), or community health centers that are grantees under Section 330 of the United States Public Health Service Act;
(c) In lieu of payment in full of both principal and interest, a loan recipient may elect to repay by entry into the practice of dentistry in an area outside of a metropolitan statistical area, as defined and established by the United States Census Bureau, and within a region ranking between 1 and 54, inclusively, on the Relative Needs Index of Four Factors for Dentists, as annually determined by the State Board of Health, for a period of five (5) years.
(4) The board shall establish the rules and regulations as it deems necessary and proper to carry out the purposes and intent of this section.
(5) This section shall stand repealed on July 1, 2020.
SECTION 3. Section 37-106-65, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-106-65. (1) The board, under such rules and regulations as it shall determine may provide forgivable loans for instruction in graduate and professional schools for qualified students, who are residents of Mississippi, in institutions outside the state boundaries, when such instruction is not available for them in the regularly supported Mississippi institutions of higher learning. The board shall, by its rules and regulations, determine the qualifications of such students as may be aided by this section, and the decision by the board as to the qualifications of such students shall be final. Subject to the availability of funding, the board shall provide forgivable loans for such graduate and professional instruction at a cost to students, not exceeding the cost, as estimated by the board, of such instruction, if it were available at a state supported institution of higher learning in the State of Mississippi. No student shall be eligible to receive a forgivable loan for the first time in this program after the 2016-2017 academic year. Repayment and conversion terms shall be the same as those outlined in Section 37-106-53.
(2) This section shall stand repealed on July 1, 2020.
SECTION 4. Section 37-106-67, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-106-67. (1) There is established a Health Care Professions' Forgivable Loan Program. It is the intent of the Legislature that persons declaring an intention to work at certain state health institutions as nurses, nurse practitioners, speech pathologists, psychologists, occupational therapists and physical therapists shall be eligible for a loan for the purpose of acquiring an education in such professions. The board shall enter into contracts with applicants, providing that such loans may be discharged by working as a health care professional in a state health institution, as defined in this section. Repayment and conversion terms shall be the same as those outlined in Section 37-106-53. No student shall be eligible to receive a forgivable loan for the first time in this program after the 2016-2017 academic year.
(2) "State health institution" shall mean any of the following: any facility or program operated by the Department of Mental Health; the State Board of Health; mental health/intellectual disability facilities under the administration of a regional commission as established under Section 41-19-31 which are certified by the Department of Mental Health; and health care facilities under the Department of Corrections.
(3) The board shall establish rules and regulations as it deems necessary and proper to carry out the purposes and intent of this section.
(4) This section shall stand repealed on July 1, 2020.
SECTION 5. Section 37-106-35, Mississippi Code of 1972, which provides for the Assistant Teacher Forgivable Loan Program, is repealed.
SECTION 6. Section 37-106-41, Mississippi Code of 1972, which provides scholarships for children of United States Armed Forces members who were officially reported as prisoners of war or missing in action in Southeast Asia, is repealed.
SECTION 7. Sections 37-106-43 and 37-110-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, which provide for the Mississippi Public Management Graduate Intern Program, are repealed.
SECTION 8. Section 37-106-69, Mississippi Code of 1972, which provides for the Family Protection Specialist Social Worker Forgivable Loan Program, is repealed.
SECTION 9. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2017.