Introduced Version
SENATE BILL No. 151
_____
DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
Citations Affected: IC 21-12-18.
Synopsis: Scholarship for minority students in health care. Establishes
the scholarship for minority students pursuing health care careers
(scholarship) and the minority students pursuing health care careers
fund (fund). Provides that the commission for higher education
(commission) administers the scholarship program and the fund.
Prescribes qualifications necessary to: (1) receive an initial scholarship;
and (2) qualify for renewal of the scholarship. Provides that the amount
of the scholarship awarded for an academic year is the lesser of: (1) the
balance of the scholarship recipient's total cost of attendance for the
academic year after the application of any other financial assistance for
which the scholarship recipient qualifies; or (2) $4,000. Requires a
scholarship recipient to enter into a written agreement with the
commission to: (1) use the scholarship solely to fund a course of study
resulting in a degree or certificate that enables the individual to
practice as a health care professional in Indiana; (2) apply for a position
as a health care professional in Indiana following the individual's
licensure or certification as a health care professional; and (3) if hired,
practice as a health care professional in Indiana for at least three years.
Requires a scholarship recipient to repay the scholarship if the
scholarship recipient fails to: (1) complete the scholarship recipient's
program of study; or (2) complete the terms of the scholarship
recipient's agreement with the commission. Annually appropriates to
the fund from the state general fund an amount sufficient to carry out
the purposes of the scholarship program. Requires the commission to
report to the general assembly not later than December 1, 2026,
regarding the effect of the scholarship program.
Effective: July 1, 2022.
Breaux
January 6, 2022, read first time and referred to Committee on Education and Career
Development.
2022 IN 151—LS 6402/DI 119 Introduced
Second Regular Session of the 122nd General Assembly (2022)
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SENATE BILL No. 151
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
higher education and to make an appropriation.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1 SECTION 1. IC 21-12-18 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
2 AS A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
3 JULY 1, 2022]:
4 Chapter 18. Scholarship for Minority Students Pursuing Health
5 Care Careers
6 Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "fund" refers to the minority
7 students pursuing health care careers fund established by section
8 5 of this chapter.
9 Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "health care professional"
10 includes the following:
11 (1) A:
12 (A) qualified medication aide; or
13 (B) certified nurse aide;
14 certified under IC 16-28-1-11.
15 (2) An advanced emergency medical technician (as defined in
16 IC 16-18-2-6.5).
17 (3) An emergency medical responder (as defined in
2022 IN 151—LS 6402/DI 119 2
1 IC 16-18-2-109.8).
2 (4) A paramedic (as defined in IC 16-18-2-266).
3 (5) A provider of hospice services (as defined in
4 IC 16-25-1.1-6).
5 (6) A provider of home health services (as defined in
6 IC 16-27-1-5).
7 (7) An anesthesiologist assistant licensed under IC 25-3.7.
8 (8) A chiropractor licensed under IC 25-10.
9 (9) A dental hygienist licensed under IC 25-13.
10 (10) A dentist licensed under IC 25-14.
11 (11) A physician licensed under IC 25-22.5.
12 (12) A nurse licensed under IC 25-23.
13 (13) An:
14 (A) occupational therapist licensed; or
15 (B) occupational therapy assistant licensed;
16 under IC 25-23.5.
17 (14) An optometrist licensed under IC 25-24.
18 (15) A pharmacist licensed under IC 25-26.
19 (16) A:
20 (A) physical therapist licensed; or
21 (B) physical therapy assistant certified;
22 under IC 25-27.
23 (17) A physician assistant licensed under IC 25-27.5.
24 (18) A podiatrist licensed under IC 25-29.
25 (19) The following licensed under IC 25-35.6:
26 (A) A speech-language pathologist.
27 (B) An audiologist.
28 (20) A:
29 (A) speech-language pathology aide;
30 (B) speech-language pathology associate; or
31 (C) speech-language pathology assistant;
32 registered under IC 25-35.6.
33 (21) Direct care staff (as defined by 460 IAC 6-3-18).
34 (22) A patient care technician.
35 (23) A chronic disease technician, including a dialysis
36 technician.
37 (24) Any other health care profession specified by rule
38 adopted by the commission under this chapter.
39 Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "minority" has the meaning set
40 forth in IC 21-13-1-6.
41 Sec. 4. (a) The scholarship for minority students pursuing health
42 care careers is established.
2022 IN 151—LS 6402/DI 119 3
1 (b) The commission shall administer the scholarship program
2 under this chapter, including:
3 (1) receiving and evaluating applications received under
4 section 6 of this chapter; and
5 (2) awarding scholarships from the fund to applicants who
6 meet the qualifications established under this chapter.
7 Sec. 5. (a) The minority students pursuing health care careers
8 fund is established for the purpose of providing scholarships under
9 this chapter.
10 (b) The fund consists of the following:
11 (1) Appropriations made by the general assembly.
12 (2) Gifts, grants, devises, or bequests made to the commission
13 to achieve the purposes of the fund.
14 (c) The commission shall administer the fund.
15 (d) The expenses of administering the fund shall be paid from
16 money in the fund.
17 (e) The treasurer of state shall invest the money in the fund not
18 currently needed to meet the obligations of the fund in the same
19 manner as other public funds may be invested. Interest that
20 accrues from these investments shall be deposited in the fund.
21 (f) Money in the fund at the end of a state fiscal year does not
22 revert to the state general fund but remains available to be used for
23 the purposes of this chapter.
24 Sec. 6. An individual must apply for a scholarship, or renewal
25 of a scholarship, under this chapter in the form and manner
26 prescribed by the commission.
27 Sec. 7. An individual qualifies for an initial scholarship under
28 this chapter if the individual:
29 (1) is a minority student;
(2) is admitted to an approved postsecondary educational30
institution as a full-time student;31
(3) either:32
(A) intends to pursue, in the case of an individual who has33
been accepted to, but is not yet attending, an approved34
postsecondary educational institution; or35
(B) is pursuing, in the case of an individual who is36
attending an approved postsecondary educational37
institution;38
a course of study resulting in a degree or certificate that39
enables the individual to practice as a health care professional40
in Indiana;41
(4) agrees, in a written agreement entered into with the42
2022 IN 151—LS 6402/DI 119 4
commission, to:1
(A) use a scholarship awarded under this chapter solely to2
pay:3
(i) tuition and other fees;4
(ii) the cost of room and board; or5
(iii) the cost of textbooks and equipment;6
required for a course of study described in subdivision (3);7
(B) apply for a position as health care professional in8
Indiana not later than one (1) year after the individual's9
licensure or certification as a health care professional; and10
(C) if hired, practice as a health care professional in11
Indiana for at least three (3) years; and12
(5) meets any other minimum criteria established by the13
commission in rules adopted under section 12 of this chapter.14
15 Sec. 8. The term of a scholarship awarded under this chapter is
16 one (1) academic year, or the equivalent of one (1) academic year
as established by the approved postsecondary educational17
institution to which the scholarship recipient is admitted.18
Sec. 9. (a) Except as provided by subsection (b), an individual19
who qualifies for an initial scholarship under section 7 of this20
chapter qualifies for renewal of the scholarship if the individual:21
(1) continues to meet the criteria under section 7 of this22
chapter23 ;
24 (2) maintains a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0
25 on a 4.0 grading scale, or an equivalent grade point average
as established by the approved postsecondary educational26
institution attended by the individual27 ;
28 (3) enrolls in and completes at least fifteen (15) credit hours
29 each semester, or an equivalent course load as established by
the approved postsecondary educational institution attended30
by the individual31 ; and
32 (4) meets any other requirements established in rules adopted
33 under section 12 of this chapter.
34 (b) The commission may grant a waiver from the requirements
35 of subsection (a) to an applicant for renewal if:
36 (1) the applicant submits a petition to the commission, in a
37 manner prescribed by the commission, asserting; and
38 (2) the commission determines, based on the petition;
39 that extenuating circumstances prevented the applicant from
40 meeting the requirements of subsection (a).
41 (c) If the commission grants a waiver to an applicant for
42 renewal under subsection (b), the commission may:
2022 IN 151—LS 6402/DI 119 5
1 (1) place the applicant on probationary status; and
2 (2) establish additional requirements for the applicant.
3 (d) A scholarship under this chapter may be renewed for not
4 more than four (4) undergraduate academic years, or the
5 equivalent of four (4) academic years as established by the
approved postsecondary educational institution attended by the6
scholarship recipient.7 However, an individual may not renew a
8 scholarship under this chapter for an academic year that ends later
9 than six (6) years after the date the individual is awarded the initial
10 scholarship under this chapter.
11 Sec. 10. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), the amount of
12 a scholarship under this chapter is equal to the lesser of the
13 following:
14 (1) The balance of the scholarship recipient's total cost of
15 attendance for the academic year after the application of any
16 other financial assistance for which the scholarship recipient
17 qualifies.
18 (2) Four thousand dollars ($4,000).
19 (b) If the total amount of all scholarships awarded under this
20 chapter exceeds the amount available for distribution from the
21 fund in a state fiscal year, the amount distributed to each applicant
22 for a scholarship, or renewal of a scholarship, under this chapter
23 shall be reduced proportionately:
24 (1) based on the financial need of each applicant; and
25 (2) such that the total reduction equals the amount of the
26 excess.
27 Sec. 11. (a) An individual who is awarded a scholarship under
28 this chapter shall agree in writing to repay the amount received by
29 the individual under this chapter if the individual does not
30 complete:
31 (1) a program of study described in section 7(3) of this
32 chapter; or
33 (2) the conditions to which the individual agrees under section
34 7(4) of this chapter.
35 (b) The commission may waive repayment of all or part of a
36 scholarship under subsection (a) if:
37 (1) the scholarship recipient submits a petition to the
38 commission, in a manner prescribed by the commission,
39 asserting; and
40 (2) the commission determines, based on the petition;
41 that extenuating circumstances prevented the scholarship recipient
42 from meeting the requirements of subsection (a).
2022 IN 151—LS 6402/DI 119 6
1 Sec. 12. The commission shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2
2 necessary to administer this chapter.
3 Sec. 13. There is annually appropriated to the fund from the
4 state general fund an amount sufficient to carry out the purposes
5 of this chapter.
6 Sec. 14. (a) Not later than December 1, 2026, the commission
7 shall issue a report to the general assembly, in an electronic format
8 under IC 5-14-6, describing the effect of the scholarship program
9 under this chapter. The commission shall include in the report the
10 following information for the period beginning July 1, 2022, and
11 ending July 1, 2026:
12 (1) The number of scholarships granted under this chapter.
13 (2) The number of scholarship recipients who graduated with
a degree or certificate that enables the individual to practice14
as a health care professional in Indiana.15
16 (3) The number of:
17 (A) scholarship recipients who found employment as health
18 care professionals; and
19 (B) scholarship recipients who were employed as health
20 care professionals as of July 1, 2026.
21 (4) The number of scholarship recipients who:
22 (A) were employed in two (2) or more health care
23 professional positions; and
24 (B) as of July 1, 2026, were employed in a health care
25 professional position:
26 (i) requiring a higher level of skill; or
27 (ii) involving greater professional responsibility;
28 than the immediately preceding health care professional
29 position in which the scholarship recipient was employed.
30 (5) The number of scholarship recipients who fulfilled the
31 scholarship recipient's agreement under section 7(4) of this
32 chapter.
33 (6) The number of:
34 (A) scholarship recipients who did not fulfill the
35 scholarship recipient's agreement under section 7(4) of this
36 chapter; and
37 (B) scholarship recipients who repaid all or part of the
38 scholarship under section 11 of this chapter.
39 (b) This section expires December 31, 2026.
2022 IN 151—LS 6402/DI 119