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Connecticut House Bill HB06235

Connecticut 2021 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB06235 Compare Versions

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7-General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 6235
4+LCO No. 5075 1 of 5
5+
6+General Assembly Committee Bill No. 6235
87 January Session, 2021
8+LCO No. 5075
99
1010
11+Referred to Committee on HIGHER EDUCATION AND
12+EMPLOYMENT ADVANCEMENT
13+
14+
15+Introduced by:
16+(HED)
1117
1218
1319
1420 AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE "LEARN HERE, HEAL HERE"
1521 PROGRAM.
1622 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
1723 Assembly convened:
1824
19-Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2021) (a) The Commissioner of 1
20-Economic and Community Development, in consultation with the 2
21-Commissioner of Revenue Services, shall establish the Learn Here, Heal 3
22-Here program. Such program may provide an incentive for persons 4
23-licensed to practice psychiatry pursuant to the provisions of chapter 370 5
24-of the general statutes to buy a first home in the state. Persons who (1) 6
25-graduate on or after January 1, 2022, from a medical school located in 7
26-the United States or Canada accredited by the Liaison Committee on 8
27-Medical Education, (2) are licensed to practice psychiatry pursuant to 9
28-the provisions of chapter 370 of the general statutes, and (3) accept 10
29-patients who receive health care coverage through any medical 11
30-insurance plan, including, but not limited to, the HUSKY Health 12
31-program, may apply to the Commissioner of Economic and Community 13
32-Development, in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner, 14
33-to have their income tax liability, up to a maximum of two thousand five 15
34-hundred dollars annually, segregated into the Learn Here, Heal Here 16
35-homebuyers account established pursuant to section 3 of this act, 17
36-provided, in any calendar year, not more than (A) one million dollars 18
37-from all program participants may be so segregated, and (B) forty 19 Substitute Bill No. 6235
25+Section 1. Section 32-4i of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
26+following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 2
27+(a) The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, 3
28+in consultation with the Commissioner of Revenue Services and the 4
29+president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, [may] shall 5
30+establish the Learn Here, [Live] Heal Here program. Such program 6
31+[may] shall provide an incentive for [graduates of a public institution 7
32+of higher education, private university or college, or health care training 8
33+school in this state, or graduates from a technical education and career 9
34+school,] persons licensed to practice psychiatry pursuant to the 10
35+provisions of chapter 370 to buy a first home in the state. Persons who 11
36+(1) graduate on or after January 1, [2014] 2022, from [such institutions, 12
37+universities, colleges or schools may] a medical school located in the 13
38+United States or Canada accredited by the Liaison Committee on 14
39+Medical Education, (2) are licensed to practice psychiatry pursuant to 15
40+LCO No. 5075 2 of 5
3841
42+the provisions of chapter 370, and (3) accept patients who receive health 16
43+care coverage through any medical insurance plan, including, but not 17
44+limited to, the HUSKY Health program may apply to the Commissioner 18
45+of Economic and Community Development, in the form and manner 19
46+prescribed by the commissioner, to have their income tax liability, up to 20
47+a maximum of two thousand five hundred dollars annually, segregated 21
48+into the Connecticut first-time homebuyers account established 22
49+pursuant to section 32-4j, as amended by this act, provided, in any 23
50+calendar year, not more than (A) one million dollars from all program 24
51+participants may be so segregated, [in any calendar year] and (B) forty 25
52+persons may be accepted as new program participants. After a period 26
53+not exceeding ten years after graduation, any amounts so segregated 27
54+may be withdrawn by a participant for the purchase of a first home in 28
55+the state. The Commissioner of Economic and Community 29
56+Development [may] shall make payments in accordance with this 30
57+section from said fund to the participants. [For the purposes of this 31
58+section, "health care training school" means a medical or dental school, 32
59+chiropractic college, school or college of optometry, school or college of 33
60+chiropody or podiatry, school of occupational therapy, hospital-based 34
61+occupational school, school or college of naturopathy, school of dental 35
62+hygiene, school of physical therapy or any other school or institution 36
63+giving instruction in the healing arts.] 37
64+(b) (1) After a period not exceeding ten years after the date of 38
65+graduation, a participant in the program established pursuant to 39
66+subsection (a) of this section may apply to the Commissioner of 40
67+Economic and Community Development for a payment to be issued, on 41
68+behalf of such participant, and used as the down payment on a house, 42
69+which [must] shall be the first house such participant has bought, either 43
70+singly or jointly. Such payment may be in an amount equal to the 44
71+amount of segregated funds deposited on behalf of such participant. If 45
72+the payment is less than such amount, any excess amount shall be 46
73+deposited in the General Fund. 47
74+(2) If a participant ceases to live in the state at any time up to one year 48
75+after [such date] the date on which the Commissioner of Economic and 49
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78+Community Development issued the payment to the participant, such 50
79+participant shall repay one hundred per cent of the amount paid out. If 51
80+a participant ceases to live in the state at any time up to two years after 52
81+such [date] payment, such participant shall repay eighty per cent of the 53
82+amount paid out. If a participant ceases to live in the state at any time 54
83+up to three years after such [date] payment, such participant shall repay 55
84+sixty per cent of the amount paid out. If a participant ceases to live in 56
85+the state at any time up to four years after such [date] payment, such 57
86+participant shall repay forty per cent of the amount paid out. If a 58
87+participant ceases to live in the state at any time up to five years after 59
88+such [date] payment, such participant shall repay twenty per cent of the 60
89+amount paid out. After five years, there is no repayment obligation. Any 61
90+amounts repaid under this subdivision shall be deposited in the General 62
91+Fund. The commissioner shall file a lien against the title of the property 63
92+purchased by the participant in the amount of the payment issued by 64
93+the commissioner on the date of such purchase to secure the repayment 65
94+of the amounts required pursuant to this subdivision. The lien filed by 66
95+the commissioner shall take precedence over any subsequent transfer or 67
96+encumbrances recorded against the title of the property, including any 68
97+mortgage lien filed contemporaneously with the commissioner's lien, 69
98+and shall expire after a period of not less than five years from the 70
99+participant's purchase of the property. 71
100+(c) On or before December 1, [2012] 2021, the Commissioner of 72
101+Economic and Community Development [may] shall develop, within 73
102+available appropriations, a comprehensive public education program to 74
103+educate recent graduates of a [public institution of higher education, 75
104+private university or college, or health care training school in the state, 76
105+or of a technical education and career school,] medical school located in 77
106+the United States or Canada accredited by the Liaison Committee on 78
107+Medical Education about the program established under this section for 79
108+first-time home buyers. The public education program shall include, but 80
109+not be limited to, information concerning life-time savings plans and 81
110+information on the purchase of a home. [If the commissioner develops 82
111+such public education program, the] The department shall begin to 83
112+implement such program not later than January 1, [2014] 2022. 84
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44-persons may be accepted as new program participants. After a period 20
45-not exceeding ten years after graduation from medical school, any 21
46-amounts so segregated may be withdrawn by a participant for the 22
47-purchase of a first home in the state. The Commissioner of Economic 23
48-and Community Development shall make payments in accordance with 24
49-this section from said account to the participants. 25
50-(b) (1) After a period not exceeding ten years after the date of 26
51-graduation from medical school, a participant in the program 27
52-established pursuant to subsection (a) of this section may apply to the 28
53-Commissioner of Economic and Community Development for a 29
54-payment to be issued, on behalf of such participant, and used as the 30
55-down payment on a house, which shall be the first house such 31
56-participant has bought, either singly or with any other person. Such 32
57-payment may be in an amount equal to the amount of segregated funds 33
58-deposited on behalf of such participant. If the payment is less than such 34
59-amount, any excess amount shall be deposited in the General Fund. 35
60-(2) If a participant in the program established pursuant to subsection 36
61-(a) of this section moves out of the state at any time up to one year after 37
62-the date on which the Commissioner of Economic and Community 38
63-Development issued the payment to the participant, such participant 39
64-shall repay one hundred per cent of the amount paid on behalf of such 40
65-participant. If a participant moves out of the state at any time up to two 41
66-years after such payment, such participant shall repay eighty per cent of 42
67-the amount paid on behalf of such participant. If a participant moves 43
68-out of the state at any time up to three years after such payment, such 44
69-participant shall repay sixty per cent of the amount paid on behalf of 45
70-such participant. If a participant moves out of the state at any time up 46
71-to four years after such payment, such participant shall repay forty per 47
72-cent of the amount paid on behalf of such participant. If a participant 48
73-moves out of the state at any time up to five years after such payment, 49
74-such participant shall repay twenty per cent of the amount paid on 50
75-behalf of such participant. After five years, there is no repayment 51
76-obligation. Any amounts repaid under this subdivision shall be 52 Substitute Bill No. 6235
115+Sec. 2. Section 32-4k of the general statutes is repealed and the 85
116+following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 86
117+As part of the Learn Here, Live [Here] Heal program established 87
118+pursuant to section 32-4i, as amended by this act, for taxable years 88
119+commencing on or after January 1, [2014] 2022, the Commissioner of 89
120+Revenue Services shall segregate the income taxes paid by a participant 90
121+in said program during a period not exceeding ten taxable years 91
122+following the year of graduation. Upon the request of such participant, 92
123+the commissioner shall segregate an annual amount of such tax liability, 93
124+up to a maximum of two thousand five hundred dollars per year. The 94
125+total amount segregated for all program participants shall not exceed 95
126+one million dollars in any calendar year. The commissioner shall deposit 96
127+such segregated amounts into the Connecticut first-time homebuyers 97
128+account established pursuant to section 32-4j, as amended by this act. 98
129+Sec. 3. Section 32-4j of the general statutes is repealed and the 99
130+following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 100
131+There is established a Connecticut first-time homebuyers account 101
132+which shall be a separate, nonlapsing account within the General Fund. 102
133+Funds segregated by the Commissioner of Revenue Services, pursuant 103
134+to section 32-4k, as amended by this act, shall be deposited in the 104
135+account. An amount equal to the amount deposited in the account shall 105
136+be available to the Commissioner of Economic and Community 106
137+Development for payments to participants in the program established 107
138+pursuant to section 32-4i, as amended by this act. The State Treasurer 108
139+shall invest the proceeds of the account, and investment earnings, after 109
140+paying any costs incurred by the State Treasurer in administering the 110
141+account, shall be credited to the General Fund. On or before September 111
142+1, [2014] 2022, and annually thereafter, the State Treasurer shall notify 112
143+the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development of the 113
144+total amount deposited in the account. Any funds segregated on behalf 114
145+of a participant that are not used for the purchase of a first home shall 115
146+be transferred to the General Fund. 116
147+LCO No. 5075 5 of 5
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83-deposited in the General Fund. The commissioner shall file a lien against 53
84-the title of the property purchased by the participant in the amount of 54
85-the payment issued by the commissioner on the date of such purchase 55
86-to secure the repayment of the amounts required pursuant to this 56
87-subdivision. The lien filed by the commissioner shall take precedence 57
88-over any subsequent transfer or encumbrances recorded against the title 58
89-of the property, including any mortgage lien filed contemporaneously 59
90-with the commissioner's lien, and shall expire after a period of not less 60
91-than five years from the participant's purchase of the property. 61
92-(c) On or before December 1, 2021, the Commissioner of Economic 62
93-and Community Development shall develop, within available 63
94-appropriations, a public education program to educate recent graduates 64
95-of any medical school located in the United States or Canada accredited 65
96-by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education about the program 66
97-established under subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section for 67
98-first-time home buyers. The department shall begin to implement such 68
99-education program not later than January 1, 2022. 69
100-Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2021) As part of the Learn Here, Heal 70
101-Here program established pursuant to section 1 of this act, for taxable 71
102-years commencing on or after January 1, 2022, the Commissioner of 72
103-Revenue Services shall segregate the income taxes paid by a participant 73
104-in said program during a period not exceeding ten taxable years 74
105-following the year of such participant's graduation from medical school. 75
106-Upon the request of such participant, the commissioner shall segregate 76
107-an annual amount of such tax liability, up to a maximum of two 77
108-thousand five hundred dollars per year. The total amount segregated 78
109-for all program participants shall not exceed one million dollars for each 79
110-program in any calendar year. The commissioner shall deposit such 80
111-segregated amounts into the Learn Here, Heal Here homebuyers 81
112-account established pursuant to section 3 of this act. 82
113-Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2021) There is established a Learn Here, 83
114-Heal Here homebuyers account which shall be a separate, nonlapsing 84
115-account within the General Fund. Funds segregated by the 85 Substitute Bill No. 6235
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122-Commissioner of Revenue Services, pursuant to section 2 of this act, 86
123-shall be deposited in the account. An amount equal to the amount 87
124-deposited in the account shall be available to the Commissioner of 88
125-Economic and Community Development for payments to participants 89
126-in the program established pursuant to section 1 of this act. The State 90
127-Treasurer shall invest the proceeds of the account, and investment 91
128-earnings, after paying any costs incurred by the State Treasurer in 92
129-administering the account, shall be credited to the General Fund. On or 93
130-before September 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the State Treasurer 94
131-shall notify the Commissioner of Economic and Community 95
132-Development of the total amount deposited in the account. Any funds 96
133-segregated on behalf of a participant that are not used for the purchase 97
134-of a first home shall be transferred to the General Fund. 98
135149 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
136150 sections:
137151
138-Section 1 July 1, 2021 New section
139-Sec. 2 July 1, 2021 New section
140-Sec. 3 July 1, 2021 New section
152+Section 1 July 1, 2021 32-4i
153+Sec. 2 July 1, 2021 32-4k
154+Sec. 3 July 1, 2021 32-4j
141155
142-Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
143-In Section 1(b)(1), "jointly" was changed to "with any other person" for
144-accuracy and in Section 1(b)(2), "ceases to live" was changed to "moves
145-out of" and "paid out" was changed to "paid on behalf of such
146-participant" for clarity and accuracy.
156+Statement of Purpose:
157+To establish a "Learn Here, Heal Here" program to provide a tax rebate
158+to psychiatrists who work in the state to purchase their first home in the
159+state within ten years of graduation from medical school.
160+[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
161+that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
162+underlined.]
147163
148-HED Joint Favorable Subst.
164+Co-Sponsors: REP. LINEHAN, 103rd Dist.; REP. CONLEY, 40th Dist.
165+REP. TURCO, 27th Dist.; REP. SMITH, 48th Dist.
166+
167+H.B. 6235
168+
149169