An Act To Increase Faculty in Nursing Education Programs
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0799
Committee Amendment CA_A_H558 (House)
Amends: 5 MRSA §12004, 30-A MRSA §6054

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. /(,, to H.P. 587, L.D. 799, Bill, "An Act To 
Increase Faculty in Nursing Education Programs" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Create the Maine Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the 
following: 
'Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §12004-1, sub-§18-F is enacted to read: 
18-F. 
Education: 
Maine Health Care 
Not Authorized 
Financial Aid 
Provider Loan 
Repayment Program 
Advisory Committee 
20-A MRSA § 12955 
Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA c. 441 is enacted to read: 
CHAPTER441 
MAINE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM 
§12951. Definitions 
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms 
have the following meanings. 
1. Advisory committee. 
"Advisory committee" means the Maine Health Care 
Provider Loan Repayment Program Advisory Committee established in Title 5, section 
12004-I, subsection 18-F. 
2. Authority. "Authority" means the Finance Authority of Maine. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "fo "to H.P. 587, L.D. 799 
3. Full-time. "Full-time" means: 
A. At least 30 hours per week; 
B. At least 130 hours per month; or 
C. Determined to be full-time by the authority. 
4. Fund. "Fund'' means the Maine Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program 
Fund established in section 12953. 
5. Program. "Program" means the Maine Health Care Provider Loan Repayment 
Program established in section 12952. 
6. Underserved area. "Underserved area" means an area in the State that is a health 
professional shortage area or medically underserved area or that contains a medically 
underserved population, as those terms are defined by the federal Department of Health 
and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration. 
§12952. Maine Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program established 
The Maine Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program is established within the 
Finance Authority of Maine for the purpose of increasing the number of health care 
providers practicing in the State. 
§12953. Maine Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program Fund 
1. Fund created. The Maine Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program Fund 
is established in the authority as a nonlapsing, interest-earning, revolving fund to carry 
out the purposes of this chapter. The fund consists of money received from 25% of the 
proceeds from the renewal of the contract for the operations of the State's wholesale 
spirits business under Title 28-A, section 90; existing funding for other authority 
programs that may, at the discretion of the authority, be combined with the program; and 
appropriations, allocations and contributions from private and public sources. The funds, 
to be accounted within the authority, must be held separate and apart from all other 
money, funds and accounts. Eligible investment earnings credited to the assets of the fund 
become part of the assets of the fund. Any unexpended balances remaining in the fund at 
the end of any fiscal year do not lapse and must be carried forward to the next fiscal year. 
2. Fund administration. The authority may receive, invest and expend on behalf of 
the fund money from gifts, grants, bequests and donations in addition to money 
appropriated or allocated by the State and any federal funds received by the State for the 
benefit of health care providers who have outstanding education loans. Money received 
by the authority on behalf of the fund must be used for the purposes of this chapter. The 
fund must be maintained and administered by the authority. Any unexpended balance in 
the fund carries forward for continued use under this chapter. 
3. Fund expenses. Costs and expenses of maintaining, servicing and administering 
the fund and of administering the program may be paid out of amounts in the fund. 
§12954. Program eligibility 
1. Application. To be considered for an award under this chapter, as part of the 
application, the applicant must: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"~" to H.P. 587, L.D. 799 
A. Submit documentation, in a manner identified by the authority, validating: 
(1) The applicant
1s original student loan balance upon graduation; 
(2) 
The current balance owed on the student loan, including principal and 
interest: 
(3) Current payment amounts on the student loan, including info1mation on any 
federal student loan repayment plan described in 20 United States Code, Section 
1098e:and 
(4) For federal loans. information regarding the applicant1s expected eligibility 
for the federal loan forgiveness program described in 34 Code of Federal 
Regulations, Section 685.219: 
B. 
Submit an employer certification form certifying the applicant's employment 
status and salary or hourly wage; and 
C. Submit a signed statement of intent in a form acceptable to the authority to work 
in the applicant's identified health care profession in the State for a minimum of 5 
years after acceptance into the program. 
2. Eligibility. To be considered for an award under this chapter, the applicant: 
A. Must be a current resident of the State or become a resident of the State within 6 
months of being selected as a recipient under the program; 
B. Must, as determined by the authority: 
(1) Be currently practicing as an eligible health care provider on a full-time basis 
in the State; or 
(2) Within 6 months of being selected as a recipient under the program, begin 
practicing as an eligible health care provider on a full-time basis in the State: 
C. Must possess an outstanding education loan: 
D. May not be a current beneficiary of a state or federal loan repayment program. 
Applicants who were formerly beneficiaries of a state or federal loan repayment 
program or who intend to participate in such programs following completion of their 
5-year commitment under this chapter are eligible to apply for an award: and 
E. May not be a current recipient of a state-funded education loan. 
§12955. 
Maine Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program Advisory 
Committee 
The Maine Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program Advisory Committee is 
established pursuant to Title 5, section 12004-I. subsection 18-F to make 
recommendations to the authority regarding the administration of the program. 
1. Membership. The advisory committee consists of: 
A. The State Economist, serving in an ex officio capacity: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "/f" to H.P. 587, L.D. 799 
B. A representative of the Department of Health and Human Services, appointed by 
the Commissioner of Health and Human Services; and 
C. The following members, selected by and serving at the pleasure of the chief 
executive officer of the authority: 
(1) Two representatives of organizations that provide primary and specialized 
health care services in multiple locations across the State, at least one of which 
must be an organization that provides services in rural areas: 
(2) An individual. not employed by the State, who is an expert in the State's 
workforce; 
(3) A representative of a college or university with a degree-granting program in 
a health care profession: 
( 4) A representative of an organization representing the interests of hospitals 
based in the State: 
(5) A representative of an organization representing the interests of federally 
qualified health centers, as defined in 42 United States Code, Section 1395x(aa) 
(1993), based in the State; 
( 6) An individual representing the interests of health care professionals in the 
field of oral health: 
(7) An individual representing the interests of health care professionals in the 
field of behavioral health; and 
(8) An individual representing the interests of health care professionals in the 
field of physical health. 
2. Duties. The advisory committee shall: 
A. Make recommendations regarding the administration of the program; 
B. 
Make recommendations for priority occupations for awards for the next 
application cycle: and 
C. Make recommendations for a point system to determine awards based on, at a 
minimum, the following criteria: 
(1) Priority and nonpriority occupations: 
(2) Work location and whether or not the location is an underserved area, except 
as applied to nurse educators; and 
(3) Student income-to-debt ratios. 
§12956. Awards 
1. Publication of priority occupations. By January 1st of each year, the authority 
shall publicize, using a method determined by the authority and taking into consideration 
the recommendations of the advisory committee, the priority occupations for the 
upcoming application cycle. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 587, L.D. 799 
2. Application cycle. The authority shall accept applications annually and shall 
open the application cycle by February 1st of each year. 
3. Award amounts. The authority shall maintain financial projections and, based on 
the recommendations of the advisory committee, establish the targeted number of annual 
awards to be made to applicants each year who meet the criteria described in section 
12954. In accordance with the occupational priorities and point system established by the 
advisory committee pursuant to section 12955, subsection 2, an annual award may not: 
A Exceed $30,000 annually; 
B. Exceed $150,000 in aggregate or 50% of a recipient's outstanding education loan 
debt at the time of application to the program. whichever is less; or 
C. Be awarded to a recipient for more than 5 years total. 
4. Nurse educators. The authority shall ensure with the advisory committee that 
nurse educators are included among the occupations considered each year for priority 
consideration. 
§12957. Annual recertification and limitations 
In order to remain eligible for an award, a recipient must annually submit to the 
authority an employer certification form certifying the recipient's employment status and 
salary or hourly wage. 
§12958. Rulemaking 
The authority shall adopt rules to carry out the purposes of this chapter. Rules 
adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 
375, subchapter 2-A. 
Sec. 3. 30-A MRSA §6054, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 269, Pt. B, §2, is 
amended to read: 
5. Use of fund after bond retirement. After all liquor operation revenue bonds and 
any ancillary obligations secured by the fund have been retired, additional proceeds 
credited to the fund from Title 22-A, section 216 and Title 28-A, section 90 must be 
disbursed on a quarterly basis to the State, after payment of costs of administering the 
fund, and credited by the State Controller as follows: 
A The lesser of 15% and the maximum amount allowed for federal matching funds 
purposes under federal water programs, divided equally between an account within 
the Department of Health and Human Services and an account within the Department 
of Environmental Protection for revolving loan funds for drinking water systems and 
wastewater treatment; 
B. Thirty-five percent to an account within the Department of Transportation for 
construction of highways and bridges; and 
B-1. 
Twenty-five percent to the Maine Health Care Provider Loan Repayment 
Program Fund established in Title 20-A, section 12953; and 
C. The remainder to the Maine Budget Stabilization Fund established in section 
1532. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 587, L.D. 799 
Sec. 4. Report. The Finance Authority of Maine shall notify the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over innovation, development, economic 
advancement and business matters upon the capitalization of the Maine Health Care 
Provider Loan Repayment Program Fund pursuant to this Act. 
Sec. 5. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
FINANCE AUTHORITY OF MAINE 
Maine Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program Fund N324 
Initiative: Provides a one-time appropriation for the repayment of student loans for 
certain nurse educators and to pay the administrative costs of the fund. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
2019-20 
$1,000,000 
$1,000,000 
2020-21 
$0 
$0 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill and creates a new loan repayment program, 
administered by the Finance Authority of Maine, for health care providers who agree to 
live and work in the State for a minimum of 5 years. Under the program, the authority 
will pay up to $30,000 per year and the lesser of $150,000 in aggregate and 50% of the 
recipient's outstanding loan balance. The amendment establishes a fund for the program, 
sets parameters for the administration of the program and establishes an advisory 
committee to guide the work of the Finance Authority of Maine in administering the 
program. The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Revised: 06/05/19 fe'ac 
LD799 
LR 1347(02) 
An Act To Increase Faculty in Nursing Education Programs 
, 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment it ( H-srt) 
Committee: Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement anl Business 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Future biennium revenue decrease - Maine Budget Stabilization Fund 
Future biennium revenue increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
FY2019-20 
FY 2020-21 
Projections 
FY 2021-22 
Projections 
FY 2022-23 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
1Appropriations/Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
$1,000,000 
$1,000,000 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
This bill includes a one-time General Fund appropriation of $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2019-20 to a newly created 
Maine Healthcare Provider Loan Repayment (MHPLR) Program Fund within the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) 
for the repayment of student loans for certain nurse educators and to pay the costs to FAME for administering the 
fund, Additional funding will come from 25% of future proceeds that would have gone to the Maine Budget 
Stabilization Fund from the Liquor Operation Revenue Fund (LORF) that will now be deposited into the loan 
repayment program. 
Current law requires that after all liquor operation revenue bonds and ancillary obligations are paid off in fiscal year 
2023-24 using the proceeds of the liquor contract, 15% of the revenue is to be divided equally between the DHHS and 
the Departm,ent of Environmental Protection (DEP) for revolving loan funds for drinking water systems and 
wastewater treatment, 35% will go to the Department of Transportation (DOT) for construction of highways and 
bridges and 50% will go to the Maine Budget Stabilization Fund. 
The new distribution of the LORF revenue after fiscal year 2023-24 would be as follows: 15% will still be divided 
equally between the DHHS and the DEP, 35% will still go to the DOT, 25% will go to the MHPLR Fund to be used to 
finance the loan repayment program and 25% instead of 50% will go to the Maine Budget Stabilization Fund. These 
changes would all occur after June of 2024. 
Any additional costs to the State Economist and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to participate 
in the advisory committee are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR1347(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1