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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 625
H.P. 393 House of Representatives, February 25, 2025
An Act Supporting Education for the Rural Health Care Workforce
Received by the Clerk of the House on February 20, 2025. Referred to the Committee on
Health and Human Services pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint
Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative OSHER of Orono.
Cosponsored by Senator MOORE of Washington and
Representatives: EATON of Deer Isle, GRAHAM of North Yarmouth, OLSEN of Raymond,
ZAGER of Portland, Senators: BENNETT of Oxford, TIPPING of Penobscot.
Page 1 - 132LR1334(01)
1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §1730-A is enacted to read:
3§1730-A. Maine Rural Health Care Education Workforce Fund
41. Fund established. The Maine Rural Health Care Education Workforce Fund,
5 referred to in this section as "the fund," is established to support rural primary care and
6 health professions workforce development as a dedicated, nonlapsing account within the
7 department.
82. Sources of fund. The fund consists of amounts appropriated or allocated by the
9 State.
103. Use of fund. The department shall make distributions from the fund to support the
11 following purposes:
12 A. Expanding rural longitudinal primary care clinical rotations for 3rd-year medical
13 students to support long-term professional practice in rural areas of the State;
14 B. Expanding rural primary care clinical rotations for 4th-year medical students to
15 support long-term professional practice in rural areas of the State;
16 C. Expanding rural primary care clinical residency placements in the State;
17 D. Supporting the long-term sustainability of rural clinical preceptorship programs to
18 provide support for students in undergraduate and graduate nursing programs; and
19 E. Supporting the expansion of rural primary care clinical rotations for physician
20 assistant students.
21 In distributing funds, the department shall prioritize health professional shortage areas or
22 medically underserved areas or populations identified by the federal Department of Health
23 and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration.
244. Rules. The department may adopt rules to implement this section. Rules adopted
25 pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375,
26 subchapter 2-A.
27Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
28 allocations are made.
29HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
30Maine Rural Health Care Education Workforce Fund N424
31 Initiative: Provides funding for the Maine Rural Health Care Education Workforce Fund.
GENERAL FUND 2025-26 2026-27
All Other $500,000 $500,000
__________ __________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL $500,000 $500,000
32SUMMARY
33 This bill establishes the Maine Rural Health Care Education Workforce Fund to
34 support rural primary care and health professions workforce development in rural areas of
35 the State.
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