EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0626*
SENATE BILL 626
J2 2lr2555
CF HB 1464
By: Senators Griffith, Elfreth, Kelley, Guzzone, Lam, Jackson, Washington,
Hettleman, King, Benson, Rosapepe, and Pinsky Pinsky, and Hester
Introduced and read first time: February 3, 2022
Assigned to: Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 22, 2022
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment Program for Physicians and Physician 2
Assistants – Alterations 3
FOR the purpose of clarifying that part–time physicians and physician assistants are 4
eligible for participation in the Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment Program for 5
Physicians and Physician Assistants; authorizing the Maryland Department of 6
Health to establish prorated loan repayment assistance for part–time physicians and 7
physician assistants; establishing the Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment 8
Program Advisory Council for Physicians and Physician Assistants to assist the 9
Department in the administration of the Program; and generally relating to the 10
Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment Program for Physicians and Physician 11
Assistants. 12
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
Article – Health – General 14
Section 24–1703 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 17
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 18
Article – Health – General 19
Section 24–1704 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 22 2 SENATE BILL 626
BY adding to 1
Article – Health – General 2
Section 24–1708 3
Annotated Code of Maryland 4
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 5
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 6
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 7
Article – Health – General 8
24–1703. 9
There is a Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment Program for Physicians and 10
Physician Assistants in the State. 11
24–1704. 12
(a) (1) In this section[, “eligible] THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE 13
MEANINGS INDICATED . 14
(2) (I) “ELIGIBLE field of employment” means employment by an 15
organization, institution, association, society, or corporation that is exempt from taxation 16
under § 501(c)(3) or (4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. 17
[(2)] (II) “Eligible field of employment” includes employment by the State 18
or any local government in the State. 19
(3) “PHYSICIAN” INCLUDES A PART –TIME PHYSICIAN. 20
(4) “PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT ” INCLUDES A PART –TIME PHYSICIAN 21
ASSISTANT. 22
(b) (1) The Department shall assist in the repayment with the funds 23
transferred to the Department by the Comptroller under § 14–207(d) of the Health 24
Occupations Article of the amount of education loans owed by a physician or physician 25
assistant who: 26
[(1)] (i) 1. Practices primary care in an eligible field of employment 27
in a geographic area of the State that has been federally designated; or 28
[(ii)] 2. Is a medical resident specializing in primary care who 29
agrees to practice for at least 2 years as a primary care physician in an eligible field of 30
employment in a geographic area of the State that has been federally designated; and 31
SENATE BILL 626 3
[(2)] (II) Meets any other requirements established by the Department. 1
(2) THE DEPARTMENT MAY ESTABL ISH PRORATED LOAN REPAYMEN T 2
ASSISTANCE FOR A PAR T–TIME PHYSICIAN OR PA RT–TIME PHYSICIAN ASSIS TANT 3
PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM. 4
(c) Any unspent portions of the money that is transferred to the Department for 5
use under this subtitle from the Board of Physicians Fund may not be transferred to or 6
revert to the General Fund of the State, but shall remain in the Fund maintained by the 7
Department to administer the Program. 8
24–1708. 9
(A) IN THIS SECTION , “COUNCIL” MEANS THE MARYLAND LOAN 10
ASSISTANCE REPAYMENT PROGRAM ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR PHYSICIANS AND 11
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS. 12
(B) THERE IS A MARYLAND LOAN ASSISTANCE REPAYMENT PROGRAM 13
ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR PHYSICIANS AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS. 14
(C) THE COUNCIL CONSISTS OF T HE FOLLOWING MEMBERS : 15
(1) THE CHAIR OF THE HEALTH SERVICES COST REVIEW 16
COMMISSION, OR THE CHAIR’S DESIGNEE; 17
(2) THE CHAIR OF THE MARYLAND HEALTH CARE COMMISSION, OR 18
THE CHAIR’S DESIGNEE; 19
(3) THE PRESIDENT OF THE MARYLAND HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION, OR 20
THE PRESIDENT’S DESIGNEE; 21
(4) THE DEAN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF 22
MEDICINE, OR THE DEAN’S DESIGNEE; 23
(5) THE DEAN OF THE JOHNS HOPKINS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, OR 24
THE DEAN’S DESIGNEE; 25
(6) THE PRESIDENT OF MEDCHI, OR THE PRESIDENT’S DESIGNEE; 26
(7) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PRIMARY CARE OFFICE IN THE 27
OFFICE OF POPULATION HEALTH IMPROVEMENT ; 28
(8) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STATE BOARD OF PHYSICIANS; 29
4 SENATE BILL 626
(9) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MARYLAND ACADEMY OF 1
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS; AND 2
(10) ANY OTHER MEMBERS AS DETERMINED NECESSARY BY THE 3
SECRETARY. 4
(D) (1) THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL SHALL SELECT THE CHAIR OF 5
THE COUNCIL. 6
(2) A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL: 7
(I) MAY NOT RECEIVE COMPE NSATION AS A MEMBER OF THE 8
COUNCIL; BUT 9
(II) IS ENTITLED TO REIMBU RSEMENT FOR EXPENSES UNDER 10
THE STANDARD STATE TRAVEL REGULATIONS, AS PROVIDED IN THE STATE 11
BUDGET. 12
(3) THE COUNCIL SHALL MEET AT LEAST THREE TIMES A YEAR. 13
(E) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROV IDE STAFF FOR THE COUNCIL. 14
(F) THE COUNCIL SHALL: 15
(1) SEEK PERMANENT AND DI VERSE REVENUE SOURCE S TO AID IN 16
THE STABILITY AND FU RTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAM; 17
(2) HELP ENSURE MAXIMUM U SE OF FEDERAL FUNDS ; 18
(3) USE AVAILABLE DATA AN D INFORMATION TO HEL P DIRECT 19
FUNDING TO PRIORITY AREAS; 20
(4) MONITOR SIMILAR LOAN PROGRAMS IN OTHER ST ATES AND 21
ENSURE THAT THE PROGRAM REMAINS COMPE TITIVE; 22
(5) ASSIST THE DEPARTMENT IN THE ADM INISTRATION OF THE 23
PROGRAM; 24
(6) HELP MARKET AND RAISE AWARENESS OF THE PROGRAM 25
THROUGH EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND OTH ER APPROPRIATE ENTIT IES AS AN 26
INCENTIVE TO HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO PRACTICE IN UNDERSERVED AREAS ; 27
AND 28
SENATE BILL 626 5
(7) MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE 1
GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON ANY NECES SARY CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM. 2
(G) ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 1 EACH YEAR, THE COUNCIL SHALL REPORT 3
TO THE GOVERNOR AND , IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE 4
GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THE ACTIV ITIES AND 5
RECOMMENDATIONS OF T HE COUNCIL. 6
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 7
1, 2022. 8
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.