The bill establishes a competitive grant program aimed at enhancing maternity training in rural hospitals by appropriating funds from the workforce development fund. Specifically, it allocates $....... for fiscal year 2027 to the commissioner of employment and economic development to support eligible rural hospitals and higher education institutions in developing cross-training programs for medical personnel. An "eligible rural hospital" is defined as a nonfederal, general acute care hospital located in a community with a population of less than 30,000, outside the seven-county metropolitan area.

Additionally, the bill mandates that the commissioner submit a report by January 15, 2028, to the relevant legislative committees. This report will detail the distribution of grant funds, the number and occupations of trained staff, feedback from grantees on the program's impact, and any unfulfilled grant requests. Grantees are required to provide necessary information to facilitate this reporting process. This initiative is intended to strengthen maternity services in rural areas, addressing workforce development needs in the healthcare sector.