Bill Text: IL SB3579 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Creates the Loan Repayment Assistance for Optometrists Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall establish an educational loan repayment assistance program for optometrists who practice in this State to increase the total number of optometrists in this State. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2025, the Department shall, each year, consider applications for assistance under the program; sets forth other provisions concerning applications for assistance. Provides that an applicant is eligible for assistance if, among other qualifications, the applicant is practicing full time in this State as an optometrist, is currently repaying educational loans, and agrees to continue full time practice in this State for at least 3 years. Provides that for each year that a qualified applicant practices full time in this State as an optometrist, the Department shall award a grant to that person in an amount equal to the amount in educational loans that the person must repay that year; specifies other grant requirements. Sets forth provisions concerning administration, rulemaking, appropriations, and a penalty for the failure to fulfill the work obligation. Effective January 1, 2025.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-05-03 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments [SB3579 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SB3579-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB3579 Introduced 2/9/2024, by Sen. Mattie Hunter SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
New Act
Creates the Loan Repayment Assistance for Optometrists Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall establish an educational loan repayment assistance program for optometrists who practice in this State to increase the total number of optometrists in this State. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2025, the Department shall, each year, consider applications for assistance under the program; sets forth other provisions concerning applications for assistance. Provides that an applicant is eligible for assistance if, among other qualifications, the applicant is practicing full time in this State as an optometrist, is currently repaying educational loans, and agrees to continue full time practice in this State for at least 3 years. Provides that for each year that a qualified applicant practices full time in this State as an optometrist, the Department shall award a grant to that person in an amount equal to the amount in educational loans that the person must repay that year; specifies other grant requirements. Sets forth provisions concerning administration, rulemaking, appropriations, and a penalty for the failure to fulfill the work obligation. Effective January 1, 2025.
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A BILL FOR
SB3579 LRB103 36388 RJT 66489 b
AN ACT concerning education.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Loan
Repayment Assistance for Optometrists Act.
Section 5. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to
establish a program in the Department of Public Health to
increase the total number of optometrists in this State by
providing educational loan repayment assistance grants to
optometrists.
Section 10. Definitions. In this Act, unless the context
otherwise requires:
"Department" means the Department of Public Health.
"Educational loans" means higher education student loans
that a person has incurred in attending an approved
professional optometric education program.
"Optometrist" means a person licensed under the Illinois
Optometric Practice Act of 1987 to practice optometry.
"Program" means the educational loan repayment assistance
program for optometrists established by the Department under
this Act.

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Section 15. Establishment of program. The Department shall
establish an educational loan repayment assistance program for
optometrists who practice in this State. The Department shall
administer the program and make all necessary and proper rules
not inconsistent with this Act for the program's effective
implementation. The Department may use up to 5% of the
appropriation for this program for administration and
promotion of optometrist incentive programs.
Section 20. Application. Beginning July 1, 2025, the
Department shall, each year, consider applications for
assistance under the program. The form of application and the
information required to be set forth in the application shall
be determined by the Department, and the Department shall
require applicants to submit with their applications such
supporting documents as the Department deems necessary.
Section 25. Eligibility. To be eligible for assistance
under the program, an applicant must meet all of the following
qualifications:
(1) He or she must be a citizen or permanent resident
of the United States.
(2) He or she must be a resident of this State.
(3) He or she must be practicing full time in this
State as an optometrist.
(4) He or she must currently be repaying educational

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loans.
(5) He or she must agree to continue full time
practice in this State for at least 3 years.
Section 30. Award of grants. Under the program, for each
year that a qualified applicant practices full time in this
State as an optometrist, the Department shall, subject to
appropriation, award a grant to that person in an amount equal
to the amount in educational loans that the person must repay
that year. However, the total amount in grants that a person
may be awarded under the program may not exceed $25,000. The
Department shall require recipients to use the grants to pay
off their educational loans.
Section 35. Penalty for failure to fulfill obligation.
Loan repayment recipients who fail to practice full time in
this State for at least 3 years shall repay the Department a
sum equal to the amount received under the program, plus
interest.