Health CARE Training Act
Bill: H.R.4279 | Sponsor: Rep. Panetta, Jimmy (D-CA)
Policy area: Social Welfare

Summary:
Health Career Advancement and Remuneration Exclusion for Training Act or the Health CARE Training Act
This bill adds requirements to and otherwise modifies the Health Profession Opportunity Grants program. The program awards grants for demonstration projects to provide Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients and other low-income individuals with education and training for health care occupations that pay well and have labor shortages or are in high demand.
Specifically, entities administering the projects must provide participants with education and training to obtain a post-secondary credential that meets the standards of the state in which the project is conducted or that meets standards set by the Department of Health and Human Services, as applicable. In addition, the bill expressly excludes cash stipends or emergency assistance paid to project participants from income for federal income tax purposes.

To improve training requirements for health profession opportunity 
 grant programs and exclude assistance provided by those programs from 
                  income tax, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Health Career Advancement and 
Remuneration Exclusion for Training Act'' or the ``Health CARE Training 
Act''.

SEC. 2. TRAINING REQUIREMENT FOR HEALTH PROFESSION OPPORTUNITY GRANT 
              PARTICIPANTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 2008(a)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1397g(a)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(D) Training.--A demonstration project conducted 
                by an eligible entity awarded a grant under this 
                subsection shall provide to an eligible individual 
                participating in the project who is being trained to 
                qualify for a recognized post-secondary credential 
                (including an industry-recognized credential, and a 
                certificate awarded by a local workforce development 
                board established under section 107 of the Workforce 
                Innovation and Opportunity Act) which is awarded in 
                recognition of attainment of measurable technical or 
                occupational skills necessary to gain employment or 
                advance within an occupation, a number of hours of such 
                training that is not less than--
                            ``(i) the number of hours of training 
                        required for certification of that level of 
                        skill by the State in which the project is 
                        conducted; or
                            ``(ii) if there is no such requirement, 
                        such number of hours of training as the 
                        Secretary finds is necessary to achieve that 
                        skill level.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on October 1, 2021.

SEC. 3. EXCLUSION OF ASSISTANCE PROVIDED UNDER A HEALTH PROFESSIONS 
              WORKFORCE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FROM FEDERAL INCOME TAX.

    (a) In General.--Section 2008(a)(2)(A)(ii) of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1397g(a)(2)(A)(ii)) is amended to read as follows:
                            ``(ii) Income disregard.--Amounts paid to 
                        an eligible individual as a cash stipend or as 
                        emergency assistance under a project for which 
                        a grant is made under this section shall not be 
                        considered income for any purpose under the 
                        Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and an entity 
                        making such a payment shall not be required to 
                        submit an information return under subtitle F 
                        of such Code with respect to the payment.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to amounts paid on or after October 1, 2021.
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