2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes › Chapter 110 - HIGHER EDUCATION › 110 ILCS 949/ - Loan Repayment Assistance for Physicians Act.

(110 ILCS 949/1)
Sec. 1. Short title. 
This Act may be cited as the Loan
Repayment Assistance for Physicians Act.
(Source: P.A. 94-368, eff. 7-29-05.)
(110 ILCS 949/5)
Sec. 5. Purpose.  The purpose of this Act is to establish a
program in the Department of Public Health to increase the total number
of physicians in this State by providing educational loan repayment assistance grants
to
physicians.
(Source: P.A. 94-368, eff. 7-29-05.)
(110 ILCS 949/10)
Sec. 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 a registered professional physician
education program, including a medical school or a chiropractic college or institution.
"Physician" means a person licensed under the Medical Practice Act of 1987.
"Program" means the educational loan repayment assistance program for
physicians established by the Department under this Act.
(Source: P.A. 103-219, eff. 1-1-24.)
(110 ILCS 949/15)
Sec. 15. Establishment of program.  The Department shall
establish an educational loan repayment assistance program for physicians who
practice in Illinois. 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 physician incentive programs.
(Source: P.A. 94-368, eff. 7-29-05.)
(110 ILCS 949/20)
Sec. 20. Application.  Beginning July 1, 2005, 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.
(Source: P.A. 94-368, eff. 7-29-05.)
(110 ILCS 949/25)
Sec. 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 Illinois.
(3) He or she must be practicing full-time in     Illinois as a physician.
(4) He or she must currently be repaying educational     loans.
(5) He or she must agree to continue full-time     practice in Illinois for 3 years.
(Source: P.A. 94-368, eff. 7-29-05.)
(110 ILCS 949/30)
Sec. 30. The award of grants.  Under the program, for each year
that a qualified applicant practices full-time in Illinois as a physician, 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
shall not exceed $25,000. The Department shall require recipients to
use the grants to pay off their educational loans.
(Source: P.A. 94-368, eff. 7-29-05.)
(110 ILCS 949/35)
Sec. 35. Penalty for failure to fulfill obligation.  Loan repayment recipients who fail to practice full-time in Illinois for 3 years shall repay the Department a sum equal to 3 times the amount received under the program.
(Source: P.A. 94-368, eff. 7-29-05.)
(110 ILCS 949/99)
(This Act was approved by the Governor on July 29, 2005, so the actual effective date of this Act is July 29, 2005)
Sec. 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2005.
(Source: P.A. 94-368, eff. 7-29-05.)