SB1912 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 08817 LNS 18872 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB1912

Introduced 2/6/2025, by Sen. Mattie Hunter

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

110 ILCS 935/3.04	from Ch. 144, par. 1453.04
110 ILCS 935/3.07	from Ch. 144, par. 1453.07
110 ILCS 935/3.08	from Ch. 144, par. 1453.08
110 ILCS 935/3.09
110 ILCS 935/3.10
110 ILCS 935/3.12 new
110 ILCS 935/4.03	from Ch. 144, par. 1454.03
110 ILCS 935/10	from Ch. 144, par. 1460
110 ILCS 935/3.05 rep.

Amends the Underserved Health Care Provider Workforce Act. Changes the definition of "designated shortage area" to mean an area designated as a medically underserved area or a health professional shortage area (rather than a physician shortage area, a medically underserved area, or a critical health manpower shortage area). Changes the term "eligible medical student" to "eligible student", and includes in the definition of that term a person who is studying optometry in an optometry college or institution located in Illinois and that a person may agree to practice full-time in a designated shortage area as an optometrist or anesthesiologist one year for each year he or she is a scholarship recipient. Includes a rural health center, a federally qualified health center, a federally qualified health center look alike, and an optometric office in the definition of "medical facility". Includes an optometrist in the definition of "eligible health care provider". Includes an obstetrician or gynecologist in the definition of "primary care physician". Includes loan repayment recipients in a provision regarding scholarship recipients who fail to fulfill specified obligations, and provides that the amounts paid by these scholarship or loan repayment recipients shall be deposited into the fund where the payment originated from (rather than the Community Health Center Care Fund). Repeals a different provision defining "primary care physician". Effective January 1, 2026.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Underserved Health Care Provider Workforce Act is amended by changing Sections 3.04, 3.07, 3.08, 3.09, 3.10, 4.03, and 10 and by adding Section 3.12 as follows:

(110 ILCS 935/3.04) (from Ch. 144, par. 1453.04)

Sec. 3.04. "Designated Shortage Area" means an area designated as by the Director as a physician shortage area, a medically underserved area, or a health professional shortage area critical health manpower shortage area as defined by the United States Department of Health and Human Services , Education and Welfare, or as further defined by the Department to enable it to effectively fulfill the purpose stated in Section 2 of this Act. Such areas may include the following:

(a) an urban or rural area which is a rational area for the delivery of health services;

(b) a population group;

(c) a public or nonprofit private medical facility; or

(d) a government-owned, privately owned, independent, or provider-based Rural Health Clinic or hospital that accepts Medicaid, Medicare, the State's Children's Health Insurance Program, private insurance, and self-pay.

(Source: P.A. 102-888, eff. 5-17-22.)

(110 ILCS 935/3.07) (from Ch. 144, par. 1453.07)

Sec. 3.07. "Eligible medical student" means a person who meets all of the following qualifications:

(a) he or she is an Illinois resident at the time of application for a scholarship under the program established by this Act;

(b) he or she is studying medicine in a medical school located in Illinois, or studying chiropractic medicine in a chiropractic college or institution in Illinois, or studying optometry in an optometry college or institution located in Illinois;

(c) he or she exhibits financial need as determined by the Department; and

(d) he or she agrees to practice full-time in a Designated Shortage Area as a primary care physician, general surgeon, emergency medicine physician, obstetrician, optometrist, anesthesiologist, or chiropractic physician one year for each year he or she is a scholarship recipient.

(Source: P.A. 103-219, eff. 1-1-24.)

(110 ILCS 935/3.08) (from Ch. 144, par. 1453.08)

Sec. 3.08. "Medical facility" means a facility for the delivery of health services and includes a hospital, State mental health institution, public health center, outpatient medical facility, rehabilitation facility, long term care facility, community mental health center, migrant health center, a community health center, rural health center, federally qualified health center, federally qualified health center look alike, optometric office, or a State correctional institution.

(Source: P.A. 80-478.)

(110 ILCS 935/3.09)

Sec. 3.09. Eligible health care provider. "Eligible health care provider" means a primary care physician, general surgeon, emergency medicine physician, obstetrician, chiropractic physician, optometrist, anesthesiologist, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant who accepts Medicaid, Medicare, the State's Children's Health Insurance Program, private insurance, and self-pay.

(Source: P.A. 102-888, eff. 5-17-22; 103-219, eff. 1-1-24; 103-507, eff. 1-1-24; 103-605, eff. 7-1-24.)

(110 ILCS 935/3.10)

Sec. 3.10. Primary care physician. "Primary care physician" means a general internist, family medicine physician, obstetrician, gynecologist, or general pediatrician.

(Source: P.A. 101-118, eff. 7-22-19.)

(110 ILCS 935/3.12 new)

Sec. 3.12. Optometrist. "Optometrist" means a Doctor of Optometry licensed under the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987.

(110 ILCS 935/4.03) (from Ch. 144, par. 1454.03)

Sec. 4.03. To establish a program of medical student scholarships and to award scholarships to eligible medical students.

(Source: P.A. 80-478.)

(110 ILCS 935/10) (from Ch. 144, par. 1460)

Sec. 10. Scholarship and loan repayment recipients who fail to fulfill the obligation described in subsection (d) of Section 3.07 or Section 4.10 of this Act shall pay to the Department a sum equal to 3 times the amount of the annual scholarship or loan repayment grant for each year the recipient fails to fulfill such obligation. A scholarship or loan repayment recipient who fails to fulfill the obligation described in subsection (d) of Section 3.07 or Section 4.10 shall have 30 days from the date on which that failure begins in which to enter into a contract with the Department that sets forth the manner in which that sum is required to be paid. If the contract is not entered into within that 30 day period or if the contract is entered into but the required payments are not made in the amounts and at the times provided in the contract, the scholarship or loan payment recipient also shall be required to pay to the Department interest at the rate of 9% per annum on the amount of that sum remaining due and unpaid. The amounts paid to the Department under this Section shall be deposited into the fund where the payment originated Community Health Center Care Fund and shall be used by the Department to improve access to primary health care services as authorized by subsection (a) of Section 2310-200 of the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law (20 ILCS 2310/2310-200).

The Department may transfer to the Illinois Finance Authority, into an account outside the State treasury, moneys in the Community Health Center Care Fund as needed, but not to exceed an amount established, by rule, by the Department to establish a reserve or credit enhancement escrow account to support a financing program or a loan or equipment leasing program to provide moneys to support the purposes of subsection (a) of Section 2310-200 of the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law (20 ILCS 2310/2310-200). The disposition of moneys at the conclusion of any financing program under this Section shall be determined by an interagency agreement.

(Source: P.A. 93-205, eff. 1-1-04.)

(110 ILCS 935/3.05 rep.)

Section 10. The Underserved Health Care Provider Workforce Act is amended by repealing Section 3.05.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.