The proposed bill, General Assembly Proposed Bill No. 19, aims to establish a student loan repayment program specifically for health care professionals employed full-time in the Department of Correction. The bill allocates a total of one million dollars from the General Fund for each of the fiscal years ending June 30, 2026, and June 30, 2027. Under this program, eligible health care professionals can receive up to fifty thousand dollars in student loan repayment, distributed incrementally based on their years of service: five thousand dollars after two years, seven thousand five hundred dollars after three and four years, and fifteen thousand dollars after both the fifth and sixth years of employment.

The primary purpose of this bill is to enhance the recruitment and retention of health care providers within the state correctional system. By providing financial assistance for student loan repayment, the bill seeks to incentivize health care professionals to commit to working in a challenging environment, thereby addressing staffing shortages and improving health care services in correctional facilities.