HOUSE BILL 288

56th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2024

INTRODUCED BY

Elizabeth "Liz" Thomson

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH PROFESSIONAL LOAN REPAYMENT; EXPANDING THE DEFINITION OF "HEALTH PROFESSIONAL" IN THE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL LOAN REPAYMENT ACT; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. Section 21-22D-3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1995, Chapter 144, Section 18, as amended) is amended to read:

     "21-22D-3. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Health Professional Loan Repayment Act:

          A. "department" means the higher education department;

          B. "health professional" means a physician, optometrist, [podiatrist] podiatric physician, physician's assistant, dentist, nurse, [member of] social worker, other professional in an allied health profession as defined in the Allied Health Student Loan for Service Act or [a] other licensed or certified health professional as determined by the department;

          C. "loan" means a grant of money to defray the costs incidental to a health education, under a contract between the federal government or a commercial lender and a health professional, requiring either repayment of principal and interest or repayment in services;

          D. "nurse in advanced practice" means a registered nurse, including a:

                (1) certified nurse practitioner, certified registered nurse anesthetist or clinical nurse specialist, authorized pursuant to the Nursing Practice Act to function beyond the scope of practice of professional registered nursing; or

                (2) certified nurse-midwife licensed by the department of health; and

          E. "osteopathic primary care physician" means an osteopathic physician licensed pursuant to the Medical Practice Act with specialty training in family medicine, general internal medicine, obstetrics, gynecology or general pediatrics."

     SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION.--One hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the health professional loan repayment fund for expenditure in fiscal year 2025 and subsequent fiscal years to provide awards pursuant to the Health Professional Loan Repayment Act. No more than ten million dollars ($10,000,000) may be expended in any one fiscal year. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.

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