AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE HEALTH CARE COMMISSION HEALTH CARE PROVIDER LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

Education Healthcare

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Hilovsky
Last action: 2026-03-24
Official status: Passed 3/24/26
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The source text confirms the bill passed both chambers but does not provide a specific effective date.

HB260: Adding Optometrists to Delaware's Healthcare Loan Repayment Program

This bill adds optometrists as eligible providers for the Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program and limits grants to no more than two per year.

What This Bill Does

Adds optometrists as eligible health care providers for the Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program.
Limits the program to awarding no more than two loan repayment grants to optometrists each year.
Requires that new primary care or dental providers must have finished their graduate education within 2 years of applying.

Who It Names or Affects

Optometrists who want to work in ambulatory and outpatient settings in Delaware.
The Delaware Health Care Commission, which administers the loan repayment program.

Terms To Know

Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program (HCPLRP): A state-run program that provides grants to help pay off loans for certain health care providers who work in specific areas of Delaware.
Ambulatory and outpatient settings: Medical places where patients receive care without staying overnight, such as clinics or private offices.

Limits and Unknowns

The official effective date is not listed in the provided source material.
The text does not specify if this limit of two optometrists applies to all future years beyond the current legislative session, though it states 'per year'.

Bill History

2026-03-24 Delaware General Assembly
Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES
2026-03-11 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Health & Social Services) in Senate with 7 Favorable
2026-01-20 Delaware General Assembly
Passed By House. Votes: 38 YES 3 ABSENT
2026-01-20 Delaware General Assembly
Assigned to Health & Social Services Committee in Senate
2026-01-14 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Health & Human Development) in House with 10 Favorable
2025-12-18 Delaware General Assembly
Introduced and Assigned to Health & Human Development Committee in House

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE HEALTH CARE COMMISSION HEALTH CARE PROVIDER LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.
This Act adds optometrists as health care providers who are eligible for the Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program and limits the number of health care loan provider repayment grants to 2 optometrists per year.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Hilovsky & Rep. Minor-Brown & Sen. Pinkney

Reps. Berry, Burns, Gorman, Gray, Hensley, K. Johnson, Lambert, Neal, Ortega, Snyder-Hall, Chukwuocha, Ross Levin, Osienski, Griffith, Kamela Smith, S. Moore, Postles, Harris; Sens. Huxtable, Mantzavinos, Pettyjohn, Richardson, Cruce, Buckson, Hansen, Wilson

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 260

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE HEALTH CARE COMMISSION HEALTH CARE PROVIDER LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 9903, Title 16 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows and by redesignating accordingly:

§ 9903. Duties and authority of the Commission.

(j) The Commission shall be responsible for the administration of a Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program (HCPLRP). The HCPLRP must be administered consistent with all of the following guidelines:

(4) The award of health care provider loan repayment grants must be limited to the recruitment and retention of new primary care or dental providers in ambulatory and outpatient settings. For purposes of this paragraph (j)(4), a “new primary care or dental provider” means any of the following providers who have completed graduate education within 2 years of the application for a health care provider loan repayment grant being submitted:

a. Physicians practicing family medicine (including osteopathic general practice), internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics/ gynecology, geriatrics, and psychiatry.

b. Nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, clinical nurse specialists, licensed psychologists, licensed professional counselors of mental health, masters of psychology, licensed clinical social workers, and physician assistants practicing adult medicine, family medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry/mental health, geriatrics,

and women’s health.

women’s health, and optometrists.

c. Dental clinicians possessing a DDS or DMD and practicing general, pediatric, or public health dentistry.

(6) The Commission may award health care loan provider repayment grants to no more than 2 optometrists per year.

SYNOPSIS

This Act adds optometrists as health care providers who are eligible for the Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program and limits the number of health care loan provider repayment grants to 2 optometrists per year.