2024 -- S 2717

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LC004573

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- THE MEDICAL PRIMARY CARE

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

     

     Introduced By: Senators Lauria, Ruggerio, Pearson, DiMario, Miller, and Lawson

     Date Introduced: March 05, 2024

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. The general assembly hereby makes the following findings of fact:

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     (1) Primary care healthcare in the State of Rhode Island is in crisis.

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     (2) There currently exists a national and regional shortage of primary care healthcare

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providers.

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     (3) Many primary care healthcare providers are retiring early and many more are

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approaching retirement age.

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     (4) Primary care healthcare is provided by physicians, nurse practitioners and physician

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assistants and the overall numbers of medical professionals entering the field of primary care

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healthcare is declining.

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     (5) It is increasingly difficult for primary care practices to hire nurses, medical assistants,

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behavioral health clinicians and other key staff, which is leading to even higher burnout among

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primary care providers.

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     (6) Fewer students are going into primary care as a profession due to lower salaries, high

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student loans and increasing administrative burden leading to provider burnout.

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     (7) Our aging Rhode Island population requires more medical care.

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     (8) As a state, we must recruit, train, retain and sustain the number of primary care

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providers sufficient to meet the population health needs of all Rhode Islanders.

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     (9) Investments in primary care are essential for access to health services, improving the

 

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health of the population and reducing overall healthcare costs.

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     SECTION 2. Title 23 of the General Laws entitled "HEALTH AND SAFETY" is hereby

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amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 1.12

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THE MEDICAL PRIMARY CARE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

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     23-1.12-1. Short title.

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     This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "The Medical Primary Care

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Scholarship Program".

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     23-1.12-2. Establishment of scholarship program.

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     There is hereby established the medical primary care scholarship program to be

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administered by the commissioner of postsecondary education in consultation with the director of

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the department of health.

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     23-1.12-3. Definitions.

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     When used in this chapter, the following words are construed as follows:

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     (1) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of postsecondary education appointed

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pursuant to the provisions of § 16-59-6.

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     (2) "Director" means the director of health holding office pursuant to the provisions of §§

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42-6-9 and 42-6-10.

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     (3) "Primary care" means healthcare services that cover a range of prevention, wellness

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and treatment for common illnesses and injuries. Primary care includes patients making an initial

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approach to a healthcare professional for treatment as well as long-term relationships established

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between a patient and a healthcare professional and may include family medicine or medical care,

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general internal medicine or medical care, and general medical practice.

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     (4) "Scholarship program" means the medical primary care scholarship program

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established pursuant to § 23-1.12-2.

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     23-1.12-4. Powers.

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     The commissioner in consultation with the director is authorized and empowered:

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     (1) To adopt rules and regulations designed to implement the provisions of this chapter;

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     (2) To adopt selection criteria, consistent with the provisions of this chapter to include, but

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not be limited to:

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     (i) Identification of exemplary scholars seeking to serve as a medical professional;

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     (ii) Identification of scholars demonstrating a strong desire to establish and work in the

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primary care healthcare area;

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     (iii) Identification of scholars who have a demonstrated connection to or desire to establish

 

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a long-term professional commitment to serving as a primary care provider in the State of Rhode

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Island; and

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     (iv) Identification of scholars to match the diversity of Rhode Island's population;

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     (3) To establish, if the commissioner deems it advisable, a nonprofit organization registered

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with the secretary of state, as the entity to administer and operate all administrative program

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services to be operated under the direct supervision of the commissioner;

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     (4) To establish an application procedure for scholarship consideration and awarding of

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scholarships;

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     (5) To supervise the disbursement of the scholarship fund; and

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     (6) To perform all other acts necessary to carry out the intent, purpose and provisions of

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this chapter.

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     23-1.12-5. Eligibility for medical school scholarship.

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     To be eligible for medical school scholarship consideration, an applicant shall:

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     (1) Complete the application procedure established by the commissioner;

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     (2) Be graduating or having graduated from an accredited college or university;

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     (3) Have an established record of excellent academic standing;

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     (4) Have been accepted for admission in a medical school in the United States;

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     (5) Comply with all requirements and conditions of the scholarship program and the

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provisions of this chapter.

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     23-1.12-6. Eligibility for nurse practitioner or physician assistant scholarship.

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     To be eligible for a scholarship for attendance at a nurse practitioner or physician assistant

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educational training institution or program, an applicant shall:

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     (1) Complete the application procedure established by the commissioner;

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     (2) Have completed all educational requirements for admission to the nurse practitioner or

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physician assistant educational training program;

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     (3) Have an established record of excellent academic standing;

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     (4) Have been accepted for admission in a degree or educational training program located

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in the United States for nurse practitioners or physician assistants; and

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     (5) Comply with all requirements and conditions of the program established pursuant to

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the provisions of this chapter.

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     23-1.12-7. Award of scholarship - Conditions.

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     (a) At any time that sufficient funds become available, the commissioner may award up to

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five (5) new medical school scholarships per academic year, five (5) new nurse practitioner

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scholarships per academic year, and five (5) new physician assistant scholarships per academic

 

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year.

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     (b) Any medical school scholarship awarded shall continue for a period of four (4) years

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and any nurse practitioner or physician assistant scholarship shall continue for a period of two (2)

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years; provided the recipient maintains good academic standing and continues to comply with all

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rules, regulations and conditions of the scholarship program.

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     (c) The maximum award for a recipient of the medical school scholarship shall be seventy

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thousand dollars ($70,000) per academic year.

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     (d) The maximum award for a recipient of the nurse practitioner or the physician assistant

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scholarship shall be forty seven thousand dollars ($47,000) per academic year.

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     (e) All recipients for scholarship funds shall execute a contract agreeing to work in Rhode

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Island providing primary care healthcare services upon completion of their respective education,

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licensing and any applicable internship. In addition to the contract, each recipient shall sign a

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promissory note for all funds received from the scholarship program. The contract and promissory

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note shall be prepared by the commissioner in consultation with the attorney general.

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     (f) Every contract shall be negotiated and approved pursuant to the provisions of § 42-11-

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11.

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     23-1.12-8. Contract and promissory note.

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     (a) Every recipient of scholarship funds pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall

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execute a contract negotiated and approved pursuant to § 42-11-11, and a promissory note prior to

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the receipt of any funds.

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     (b) The contract shall require the recipient to:

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     (1) Attend full-time the specified academic institution or educational program which shall

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qualify the recipient to provide primary care healthcare services;

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     (2) Maintain academic good standing;

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     (3) Graduate on time for a full-time student attending the academic institution or program;

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and

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     (4) Agree upon graduation and licensing to provide two (2) years of full-time work

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providing primary care health services in the State of Rhode Island for each year a scholarship

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award was received.

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     (c) The contract shall provide that for every two (2) year period that the scholarship

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recipient following graduation works full-time in the State of Rhode Island providing primary care

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healthcare services, then the amount of the scholarship award received by the recipient for one

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academic year shall be forgiven and cancelled. If the recipient has received the maximum

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scholarship award over four (4) academic years then upon eight (8) years of working full-time in

 

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Rhode Island providing primary care healthcare services then all scholarship funds received shall

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be forgiven and the promissory note cancelled.

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     23-1.12-9. Repayment of funds.

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     (a) Any recipient of scholarship funds who fails to comply with the rules or regulations

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promulgated pursuant to § 23-1.12-3, the provisions of this chapter or the terms of the contract for

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receipt of funds shall immediately pay and return all funds received to the commissioner.

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     (b) All scholarship funds shall be repaid to the commissioner if:

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     (1) The student fails to complete the educational program;

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     (2) The student fails to comply with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section; or

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     (3) The student fails to work full-time providing primary care healthcare services in the

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State of Rhode Island for any of the required contract period of time following graduation and

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licensing.

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     (c) Partial scholarship funds shall be repaid to the commissioner should the recipient

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partially fulfill the contract obligation but fails to work two (2) years providing full-time primary

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care healthcare service in Rhode Island for every year scholarship funds were received. The

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reimbursement shall be pro-rated for qualified time working applied to the gross amount received

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by the recipient.

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     (d) Interest shall accrue on all funds owed by the recipient pursuant to the provisions of §

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9-21-10.

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     (e) The attorney general is authorized and empowered to bring proceedings to recover all

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amounts due under the provisions of this section.

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     (f) All sums recovered pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be redeposited in the

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restricted receipt account to implement the scholarship program.

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     23-1.12-10. Appropriations.

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     (a) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, there is hereby appropriated, out of money

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in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of three million, five hundred eighty thousand

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dollars ($3,580,000) deposited into a restricted receipt account to implement the scholarship

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program established in § 23-1.12-2; and the state controller is hereby authorized and directed to

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draw to the controller's orders upon the general treasurer for payment of said sum, or so much

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thereof as may be from time to time required, upon the receipt by the general treasurer of properly

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authenticated vouchers submitted by the commissioner on an annual basis over a minimum period

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of four (4) years.

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     (b) For fiscal year 2025-2026, and each fiscal year thereafter, the general assembly shall

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annually appropriate a sum as it may deem necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter, and

 

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the state controller is hereby authorized and directed to draw the controller's orders upon the general

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treasurer for the payment of the sum or sums or so much thereof as may be required from time to

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time to be deposited in a restricted receipt account upon receipt by the general treasurer of properly

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authenticated vouchers submitted by the commissioner.

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     23-1.12-11. Audits.

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     (a) The commissioner shall submit annually all financial records and receipts of

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disbursements to the auditor general and the director of administration.

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     (b) The auditor general and the director of administration are authorized to review and audit

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all records, receipts, disbursements and transactions concerning the scholarship program and the

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funds associated with the scholarship program.

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     23-1.12-12. Reports.

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     The commissioner shall report annually to the general assembly and the governor no later

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than December 31 of each year on the status and progress of the scholarship program established

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and administered pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

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     23-1.12-13. Severability.

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     If any provision of this chapter or any rule or regulation promulgated pursuant to the

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provisions of this chapter, or its application to any person or circumstance, is held invalid by a court

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of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of the chapter, rule or regulation and the application of the

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provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected by its invalidity. The invalidity of

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any section or sections or portion of any section or sections of this chapter shall not affect the

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validity of the remainder of this chapter.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- THE MEDICAL PRIMARY CARE

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

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     This act would establish the medical primary care scholarship program to be administered

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by the commissioner of postsecondary education. This act would appropriate three million, five

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hundred eighty thousand dollars ($3,580,000) which would be utilized to provide scholarships for

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four (4) years for doctors, and for two (2) years for physician assistants and nurse practitioners to

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provide primary care services in Rhode Island. For every year a medical practitioner received a

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scholarship the recipient would be required to provide two (2) years of work in the field of primary

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care in the state upon graduation.

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     This act would take effect on July 1, 2024.

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