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UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS HB 266/GA
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AN ACT relating to healthcare credentials eligible for the Kentucky healthcare 1
workforce investment fund. 2
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 3
Section 1. KRS 164.0401 is amended to read as follows: 4
For the purposes of KRS 164.0401 to 164.0407: 5
(1) "Council" means the Council on Postsecondary Education; 6
(2) "Dedicated funds" means a gift, grant, or donation to the fund that is subject to 7
restrictions imposed by a private grantor under KRS 164.0401 to 164.0407; 8
(3) "Eligible healthcare credential" means: 9
(a) An alcohol and drug counselor license, clinical alcohol and drug counselor 10
license, clinical alcohol and drug counselor associate license, professional art 11
therapist license, professional art therapist associate license, or community 12
health worker certificate issued pursuant to KRS Chapter 309; 13
(b) Any emergency medical services license or certificate issued pursuant to KRS 14
Chapter 311A; 15
(c) Any medical imaging, radiation, or other license issued pursuant to KRS 16
Chapter 311B; 17
(d) A dental hygienist or dental assistant license issued pursuant to KRS Chapter 18
313; 19
(e) Any nursing license or certificate issued pursuant to KRS Chapter 314 or 20
registration as a state registered nursing aide with the Kentucky Board of 21
Nursing; 22
(f) A respiratory care practitioner certificate issued pursuant to KRS Chapter 23
314A; 24
(g) Any psychology license or certificate issued pursuant to KRS Chapter 319; 25
(h) Any occupational therapy license issued pursuant to KRS Chapter 319A; 26
(i) Any behavior analyst license issued pursuant to KRS Chapter 319C; 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS HB 266/GA
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HB026610.100 - 1453 - XXXX 2/9/2026 4:45 PM GA
(j) Any physical therapy certificate or license issued pursuant to KRS Chapter 1
327; 2
(k) Any social worker, marriage and family therapist, or professional counselor 3
certificate or license issued pursuant to KRS Chapter 335; 4
(l) A physician assistant license issued pursuant to KRS Chapter 311;[ and] 5
(m) A dietitian license or nutritionist certificate issued pursuant to KRS Chapter 6
310; and 7
(n) A speech-language pathology or audiology license issued pursu ant to KRS 8
Chapter 334A; 9
(4) "Grantor" means an individual or an entity that gifts, grants, or donates moneys to 10
the Kentucky healthcare workforce investment fund established in KRS 164.0402; 11
(5) "Healthcare partner" means a grantor to the Kentucky healthc are workforce 12
investment fund that is: 13
(a) A healthcare provider as defined in KRS 367.4081; 14
(b) A healthcare facility licensed by and operating in Kentucky; 15
(c) A qualified mental health professional as defined in KRS 202A.011; or 16
(d) Any healthcare or he althcare-related association, individual, or corporation 17
doing business in and incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth; 18
(6) "Healthcare program" means an education or training program that is a specific 19
requirement to an eligible healthcare credent ial, including but not limited to a high 20
school healthcare vocational program; 21
(7) "Historically underserved county" means a county of the Commonwealth with 22
enhanced workforce demands, as demonstrated by: 23
(a) Objective healthcare workforce data that demons trates needs and demands 24
upon its healthcare workforce that exceed the statewide average; and 25
(b) Final unemployment figures calculated by the Department of Workforce 26
Development demonstrating a countywide rate of unemployment that exceeds 27
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the statewide unemployment rate of the Commonwealth: 1
1. In the most recent five (5) consecutive calendar years; or 2
2. By two hundred percent (200%) in the most recent calendar year; and 3
(8) "Kentucky resident" is a Kentucky resident as defined by the council pursuant to 4
KRS 164.020(8). 5