An Act Establishing A Student Loan Repayment Program For Health Care Professionals Working In The Department Of Correction.
Summary
SB 19 would appropriate $1 million from the General Fund to the Department of Correction in each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to create a student loan repayment program for full-time health care professionals employed by the department. Eligible participants could receive up to $50,000 in total loan repayment assistance, paid in staged amounts after completing specified years of service: $5,000 after year two, $7,500 after year three, $7,500 after year four, $15,000 after year five, and $15,000 after year six.
The bill is aimed at recruiting and retaining medical and other health care staff in the state correctional system by tying loan repayment benefits to continued employment. It would not change the underlying duties of the Department of Correction, but it would create a new state-funded incentive program and authorize the use of appropriated funds for that purpose.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would add a new appropriated program within the Department of Correction and direct General Fund money toward student loan repayment for qualifying correctional health care workers. It would affect state budget law by dedicating $1 million per year for two fiscal years and would create a retention incentive for a specific class of state employees, potentially improving staffing stability in correctional health services.
Sentiment
The available record shows no committee transcript, vote tally, or recorded opposition, so there is no documented debate to indicate broad support or resistance. Based on the bill’s stated purpose, the measure appears to be framed positively as a workforce recruitment and retention tool for a hard-to-staff public safety setting.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential issues that could arise, though not recorded here, include the cost of the program, whether the benefit is limited to one agency rather than other hard-to-fill public health positions, and whether the staged repayment schedule is the most effective retention mechanism. The bill’s focus on correctional health staff may also prompt questions about equity compared with other state employees or health care providers.