| Chapter 384 |
| 2024 -- H 8078 AS AMENDED Enacted 06/26/2024 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- THE LADDERS TO LICENSURE PROGRAM |
Introduced By: Representatives Tanzi, Fogarty, Felix, Shallcross Smith, Ajello, J. Lombardi, Hull, Ackerman, McNamara, and Kislak |
| Date Introduced: March 15, 2024 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Title 42 of the General Laws entitled "STATE AFFAIRS AND |
| GOVERNMENT" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: |
| CHAPTER 166 |
| THE LADDERS TO LICENSURE PROGRAM |
| 42-166-1. The ladders to licensure grant program. |
| The executive office of health and human services is hereby directed to establish the ladders |
| to licensure grant program, a public-private partnership to: |
| (1) Increase the number of licensed health professionals; |
| (2) Increase racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity of health professionals; |
| (3) Provide academic, financial, and wrap around supports to enable working adults to |
| obtain health professional higher education degrees and license; |
| (4) Leverage employer support for academic, financial, and wraparound supports; |
| (5) Align with existing state workforce and higher education initiatives; |
| (6) Develop and implement career ladders with tiered training and education requirements |
| and corresponding salary increases; |
| (7) Develop and implement interscholastic and interdepartmental agreements that accept |
| prior learning, credentials, work experience, and academic credits towards |
| requirementreequirements for higher education health professional degrees; |
| (8) Establish policies and initiatives to counter systemic racism and other institutional |
| barriers to participation and advancement of underrepresented populations; |
| (9) Establish policies and initiatives that provide flexible scheduling of work hours and/or |
| academic programs to reduce barriers to participation; and |
| (10) Identify state policy barriers to entry and advancement in the field. |
| 42-166-2. Use of appropriated funds. |
| Any appropriated funds shall be used to provide grants to three (3) or four (4) grantee |
| partnerships, consisting of multiple private sector health and human services employer |
| organizations and education grantee partnerships (with at least one focused on behavioral health |
| and one focused on nursing). Employers will be required to contribute a twenty-five percent (25%) |
| in-kind match and a ten percent (10%) cash match. |
| 42-166-3. Oversight. |
| The executive office of health and human services shall collaborate and coordinate with |
| the department of labor and training and the office of the postsecondary commissioner in the |
| development, implementation, and oversight of the program. |
| 42-166-4. Reporting. |
| The executive office of health and human services shall provide quarterly reports to the |
| speaker of the house of representatives and senate president documenting the progress of the |
| implementation of the program. |
| SECTION 2. This act would take effect on July 1, 2024. |
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| LC005686 |
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