CHAPTER _______

An act to amend Section 127940 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to health professions development.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2048, Gray. National Health Service Corps State Loan Repayment Program.

Existing law provides that in administering the National Health Service Corps State Loan Repayment Program in accordance with federal law and regulations, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development is required to strive, whenever feasible, to equitably distribute loan repayment awards between eligible urban and rural program sites, after taking into account the availability of health care services in the communities to be served and the number of individuals to be served in each program site.

This bill would require the office to include all federally qualified health centers located in California in the program’s certified eligible site list. As part of the application process for the program, the bill would require program sites to agree to provide matching funds.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 127940 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

127940.  

(a) In administering the National Health Service Corps State Loan Repayment Program in accordance with Section 254q-1 of Title 42 of the United States Code and related federal regulations, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development shall strive, whenever feasible, to equitably distribute loan repayment awards between eligible urban and rural program sites, after taking into account the availability of health care services in the communities to be served and the number of individuals to be served in each program site.

(b) The office shall set a reasonable deadline for when all applications are required to be received.

(c) All eligible applications shall be given consideration before any award is granted.

(d) The office shall include all federally qualified health centers located in California in the program’s certified eligible site list.

(e) As part of a program applicant’s initial application, program sites shall agree to provide matching funds.

    94