PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 41 PRINTER'S NO. 1738
No. 41 Session of 1989
INTRODUCED BY HOLL, BRIGHTBILL, AFFLERBACH, JUBELIRER, REIBMAN,
RHOADES, HESS AND LEMMOND, JANUARY 23, 1989
SENATOR HESS, EDUCATION, AS AMENDED, NOVEMBER 28, 1989
AN ACT
1 Providing for scholarships for certain nursing students. <--
2 ESTABLISHING A LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN PROFESSIONAL <--
3 NURSES.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title. <--
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Nursing
8 Students Educational Assistance Act of 1989.
9 Section 2. Definitions.
10 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12 context clearly indicates otherwise:
13 "Agency." The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance
14 Agency.
15 "Approved institution of nursing training." An institution
16 of nursing training approved by the agency.
17 "Approved program of nursing education." A degree or
1 nondegree curriculum or course of study pursued on a full-time
2 basis for a duration of at least two academic years or its
3 equivalent at an approved institution of nursing training.
4 "Qualified nursing student." Any nursing student who:
5 (1) Was a resident of this Commonwealth for at least 12
6 months immediately preceding registration in an accredited
7 nursing school or an accredited nursing training program. The
8 agency shall make final determination in all questions of
9 residency.
10 (2) Has satisfactorily met the qualifications of
11 financial need as determined by uniform standards and
12 procedures to be established by the agency and determined
13 without regard to the financial status of the applicant's
14 parents, unless the agency finds that the applicant is, in
15 fact, receiving parental financial support.
16 (3) Has manifested a serious intent to become a nurse by
17 satisfactorily completing half of the credit hours necessary
18 to receive a degree from an approved program of nursing
19 education.
20 (4) Agrees, in writing, to practice nursing in this
21 Commonwealth for two years immediately following graduation
22 from an approved program of nursing education.
23 Section 3. Scholarships for nursing students.
24 From the funds appropriated by the General Assembly from time
25 to time for the purposes of this act, the Pennsylvania Higher
26 Education Assistance Agency is hereby authorized to provide
27 scholarships to qualified nursing students enrolled in approved
28 programs of nursing education.
29 Section 4. Amount of scholarships.
30 Scholarships awarded under this act are for purposes of
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1 providing financial assistance for full-time enrollment in
2 approved programs of nursing education. A scholarship shall not
3 exceed, for each academic year, the tuition and fee charges at
4 the institution of nursing education at which the applicant is
5 enrolled, or $1,000, whichever is less.
6 Section 5. Effective date.
7 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
8 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. <--
9 THIS ACT SHALL BE KNOWN AND MAY BE CITED AS THE PROFESSIONAL
10 NURSE LOAN FORGIVENESS ACT.
11 SECTION 2. FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF INTENT.
12 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS AND DECLARES THAT:
13 (1) THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS PLANNING TO BECOME
14 PROFESSIONAL NURSES APPEARS TO BE INADEQUATE TO MEET THE
15 FUTURE NEEDS FOR PROFESSIONAL NURSES IN THIS COMMONWEALTH.
16 (2) DEMANDS FROM INDUSTRY AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
17 ATTRACT EXISTING AND POTENTIAL CANDIDATES AWAY FROM THE
18 NURSING PROFESSION.
19 (3) PAYMENT OF A PORTION OF STUDENT LOANS FOR
20 PROFESSIONAL NURSES SERVES THE IMPORTANT PUBLIC PURPOSE OF
21 ENCOURAGING INDIVIDUALS TO ENTER THE PROFESSION AND ALSO
22 SERVES TO ALLEVIATE AND ELIMINATE THE CRITICAL NEED FOR
23 HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS IN THE FUTURE.
24 SECTION 3. DEFINITIONS.
25 THE FOLLOWING WORDS AND PHRASES WHEN USED IN THIS ACT SHALL
26 HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM IN THIS SECTION UNLESS THE
27 CONTEXT CLEARLY INDICATES OTHERWISE:
28 "AGENCY." THE PENNSYLVANIA HIGHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE
29 AGENCY.
30 "QUALIFIED NURSE." A PERSON WHO MEETS ALL OF THE FOLLOWING
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1 CRITERIA:
2 (1) IS PROPERLY LICENSED PURSUANT TO THE ACT OF MAY 22,
3 1951 (P.L.317, NO.69), KNOWN AS THE PROFESSIONAL NURSING LAW.
4 (2) IS EMPLOYED ON A FULL-TIME BASIS IN A HOSPITAL,
5 NURSING HOME OR OTHER INSTITUTION OR AGENCY PROVIDING MEDICAL
6 SERVICES IN THIS COMMONWEALTH.
7 (3) HAS BORROWED THROUGH THE AGENCY-ADMINISTERED
8 GUARANTEED STUDENT LOAN PROGRAM.
9 (4) HAS APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED APPROVAL FOR LOAN
10 FORGIVENESS FROM THE AGENCY.
11 SECTION 4. QUALIFIED NURSES LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM.
12 A QUALIFIED APPLICANT WHO IS SELECTED BY THE AGENCY IN
13 ACCORDANCE WITH THIS ACT SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PAYMENT BY
14 THE AGENCY OF A PORTION OF THE DEBT INCURRED BY THE APPLICANT
15 THROUGH AGENCY-ADMINISTERED GUARANTEED STUDENT LOAN PROGRAMS FOR
16 THE EDUCATION NECESSARY TO BE CERTIFIED AS A NURSE IN
17 PENNSYLVANIA. FOR EACH CALENDAR YEAR THAT A QUALIFIED NURSE IS
18 EMPLOYED, THE AGENCY MAY FORGIVE 25% ANNUALLY OF THE QUALIFIED
19 NURSE'S APPROVED INDEBTEDNESS. NO MORE THAN $2,500 SHALL BE
20 FORGIVEN IN ANY YEAR, AND NO MORE THAN $10,000 SHALL BE FORGIVEN
21 FOR ANY APPLICANT. PAYMENTS SHALL BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
22 PROCEDURES ESTABLISHED BY THE AGENCY.
23 SECTION 5. LOANS FORGIVENESS AWARDS.
24 RECIPIENTS OF THE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM SHALL BE THOSE
25 QUALIFIED NURSES WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED APPROVAL FROM
26 THE AGENCY. EACH QUALIFIED NURSE SHALL BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT
27 SUCH DOCUMENTATION OF CONTINUED ELIGIBILITY AS THE AGENCY MAY
28 REQUIRE.
29 SECTION 6. LOAN FUNDING.
30 LOAN FORGIVENESS AWARDS MAY BE MADE TO THE EXTENT THAT FUNDS
19890S0041B1738 - 4 -
1 ARE APPROPRIATED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
2 SECTION 7. RESPONSIBILITY OF AGENCY.
3 IT SHALL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE AGENCY TO ADMINISTER
4 THE NURSING EDUCATION ASSISTANCE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM
5 ESTABLISHED BY THIS ACT AND TO ADOPT SUCH REGULATIONS, POLICIES,
6 PROCEDURES AND FORMS AS ARE NECESSARY AND NOT INCONSISTENT WITH
7 THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT.
8 SECTION 8. EFFECTIVE DATE.
9 THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IN 60 DAYS.
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