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OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 1450
AN ACT CONCERNING RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF THE
HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Department of Public Health (DPH) to create,
within available appropriations, a loan reimbursement program for
health care providers, with some of the awards targeted to primary care
providers and those employed in rural communities or at federally
qualified health centers (FQHCs).
Starting October 1, 2026, the bill prohibits state-administered loan
reimbursement programs for physicians, advanced practice registered
nurses, or physician assistants from requiring, under their eligibility
criteria, that the provider be employed by a nonprofit employer. The bill
specifies that it does not prohibit nonprofits from offering loan
reimbursement grants to their employees and requiring employment as
a condition of grant eligibility (§ 2).
The bill requires DPH, in collaboration with a nonprofit organization,
to create a pilot program providing home-based virtual education to
people seeking certification as a nurse’s aide or emergency medical
technician (EMT). The bill specifies that it does not eliminate existing
requirements for these people to receive in-person practical training.
It requires the education commissioner to add radiologic technology,
nuclear medicine technology, and respiratory care to an existing plan on
promoting health care career options to middle and high school
students.
Lastly, the bill requires DPH, within available appropriations, to
create a program giving grants to recruit athletic trainers from other
states to move to Connecticut to work in rural or underserved areas. The
grants are for their relocation costs. 2025SB-01450-R000611-BA.DOCX
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EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage, except the provisions on the DPH
loan reimbursement program and athletic trainer grant program take
effect July 1, 2025.
§ 1 — STUDENT LOAN REIMBUR SEMENT GRANT PROGRAM
The bill requires DPH, within available appropriations, to create a
program giving loan reimbursement grants to health care providers.
The program is open to DPH-licensed providers employed full time in
the state, and DPH must give awards annually, to reimburse recipients
for qualifying student loan payments.
Under the bill, the DPH commissioner must set the (1) award
amounts; (2) program’s eligibility requirements, which may include
income guidelines; and (3) application process. She must consider
workforce shortage areas when developing the eligibility requirements.
DPH must award at least (1) 20% of grants to full-time primary care
providers and (2) 20% of grants to providers employed full-time in rural
communities or at FQHCs. For this purpose, primary care includes
family medicine, general pediatrics, primary care, internal medicine,
and primary care obstetrics or gynecology, regardless of board
certification.
The bill allows DPH to adopt regulations implementing the program.
§ 3 — VIRTUAL EDUCATION PILOT PROGRAM
The bill requires DPH to create a pilot program providing home-
based virtual education for people seeking to become a nurse’s aide or
EMT. DPH must do so by January 1, 2026, and in collaboration with a
nonprofit organization providing education, community, and home-
based services in the state.
Under the bill, the program must offer courses that meet DPH’s
training and competency evaluation requirements for nurse’s aide
registration and EMT certification. The bill requires the commissioner to
set the program’s eligibility criteria and allows her to solicit and accept
private funds to implement the program. By January 1, 2027, she must
report to the Public Health Committee on the program’s outcome. 2025SB-01450-R000611-BA.DOCX
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The bill specifies that it does not eliminate specified existing
requirements for nurse’s aides and EMTs to receive in-person,
supervised practical training. This includes requirements under (1)
federal regulations on state approval of nurse’s aide training programs,
(2) state regulations on nursing homes employing nurse’s aides, and (3)
state law on EMT certification.
§ 4 — HEALTH CARE CAREER PROMOTION
Existing law requires the state’s chief workforce officer, in
consultation with various stakeholders, to develop a plan to work with
high schools in the state to encourage students to pursue high-demand
health care professions. The education commissioner, in collaboration
with the chief workforce officer, must use this plan in (1) promoting
health care professions as career options to middle and high school
students and (2) health care job shadowing and internship experiences
for high school students.
The bill requires the education commissioner, by January 1, 2026, to
amend the plan to specifically include promoting the professions of
radiologic technology, nuclear medicine technology, and respiratory
care through related (1) career day presentations; (2) partnerships with
in-state education programs; (3) counseling programs to inform high
school students about, and recruit them for, these professions; and (4)
job shadowing and internship experiences for high school students.
§ 5 — ATHLETIC TRAINER RELOCATION G RANT PROGRAM
The bill requires DPH, by January 1, 2026, and within available
appropriations, to create a program giving relocation assistance grants
to athletic trainers who relocate to Connecticut, get licensed here, and
work in rural or underserved areas. The commissioner must determine
the grant amounts and set the application and eligibility criteria and
related forms. She also must require grant recipients to report to her on
how they used the funds.
Starting by January 1, 2027, the bill requires the commissioner to
annually report to the Public Health Committee on the program’s
impact in recruiting athletic trainers to work in the state’s rural and 2025SB-01450-R000611-BA.DOCX
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underserved areas.
BACKGROUND
Related Bills
sHB 6979, § 5 (File 116), favorably reported by the Public Health
Committee, requires DPH, within available appropriations, to establish
a student loan repayment program for primary care and behavioral
health services providers.
sHB 6886 (File 458), favorably reported by the Higher Education and
Employment Advancement Committee, requires the Office of Higher
Education, within available appropriations, to establish a student loan
reimbursement program for nurses.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Public Health Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 29 Nay 3 (03/21/2025)