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- 83rd Session (2025)
Assembly Bill No. 269–Assemblymember D’Silva
CHAPTER..........
AN ACT relating to education; revising provisions relating to the
Student Loan Repayment for Providers of Health Care in
Underserved Communities Program; renaming the Program;
and providing other matters properly relating thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Existing law creates the Student Loan Repayment for Providers of Health Care
in Underserved Communities Program to repay the student education loans of
qualified providers of health care who work in certain underserved communities.
(NRS 226.458) Existing law also creates the Acco unt for Student Loan Repayment
for Providers of Health Care in Underserved Communities to be used to repay those
student education loans. (NRS 226.466) Existing law defines “provider of health
care” for purposes of the Program. (NRS 226.454) Section 4 of this bill adds a
licensed speech-language pathologist, physical therapist, occupational therapist,
marriage and family therapist, clinical alcohol and drug counselor, alcohol and drug
counselor, assistant behavior analyst and behavior analyst and a cert ified problem
gambling counselor to the definition of “provider of health care” for such purposes,
thereby expanding the applicability of the Program.
Sections 5-7 of this bill also expand the Program to include public health
professionals, which are defi ned in section 1 of this bill as: (1) the Chief Medical
Officer and county and district health officers who are appointed under existing
law; and (2) a person who is employed by the Division of Public and Behavioral
Health of the Department of Health and H uman Services or a local board of health
in a position for which the Division or local board of health experiences substantial
difficulty in recruitment and retention . Such positions are required by section 7 to
be designated by regulation by the State Tre asurer, based on recommendations that
are required to be made by the State Board of Health pursuant to section 9 of this
bill. Section 8 of this bill changes the name of the Account for the Program to the
Account for Student Loan Repayment for Providers of Health Care and Public
Health Professionals in Underserved Communities as a result of the expansion of
the Program to include public health professionals. Section 2 of this bill applies the
definitions in existing law and section 1 to the provisions of existing law relating to
the Program. Section 3 of this bill makes a conforming change as a result of the
expansion and change of the name of the Program.
EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Chapter 226 of NRS is hereby amended by adding
thereto a new section to read as follows:
“Public health professional” means:
1. A person who is employed full-time or part-time as:
(a) The Chief Medical Officer appointed pursuant to
NRS 439.085;
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(b) A county health officer appointed pursuant to NRS
439.290; or
(c) A district health officer appointed pursuant to NRS 439.368
or 439.400; or
2. A person who is employed by the Division of Public and
Behavioral Health of the Department of Health and Human
Services or a local bo ard of health in a position designated by the
regulations adopted pursuant to paragraph (e) of subsection 2 of
NRS 226.462.
Sec. 2. NRS 226.450 is hereby amended to read as follows:
226.450 As used in NRS 226.450 to 226.4 66, inclusive, and
section 1 of this act, unless the context otherwise requires, the
words and terms defined in NRS 226.452, 226.454 and 226.456 and
section 1 of this act have the meanings ascribed to them in those
sections.
Sec. 3. NRS 226.452 is hereby amended to read as follows:
226.452 “Program” means the Student Loan Repayment for
Providers of Health Care and Public Health Professionals in
Underserved Communities Program created by NRS 226.458.
Sec. 4. NRS 226.454 is hereby amended to read as follows:
226.454 “Provider of health care” means:
1. A physician;
2. A physician assistant licensed pursuant to chapter 630 or
633 of NRS;
3. A dentist;
4. A licensed nurse;
5. A person who holds a license as an attendant or is certified
as an emergency medical technician, advanced emergency medical
technician or paramedic pursuant to chapter 450B of NRS;
6. An optometrist;
7. An audiologist;
8. A practitioner of respiratory care;
9. A podiatric physician;
10. A psychologist;
11. A clinical professional counselor;
12. A perfusionist;
13. A pharmacist or pharmacy technician;
14. An associate in social work, a social worker, a master
social wor ker, an independent social worker or a clinical social
worker licensed pursuant to chapter 641B of NRS;
15. A midwife; [or]
16. A provider of doula services who is enrolled with the
Division of Health Care Financing and Policy of the Department of
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Health and Human Services to receive reimbursement through
Medicaid pursuant to NRS 422.27177 [.] ;
17. A speech -language pathologist licensed pursuant to
chapter 637B of NRS;
18. A physical therapist licensed pursuant to chapter 640 of
NRS;
19. An occupational therapist licensed pursuant to chapter
640A of NRS.
20. A marriage and family therapist licensed pursuant to
chapter 641A of NRS;
21. A clinical alcohol and drug counselor or an alcohol and
drug counselor licensed pursuant to chapter 641C of NRS;
22. A problem gambling counselor certified pursuant to
chapter 641C of NRS; or
23. An assistant behavior analyst or a behavior analyst
licensed pursuant to chapter 641D of NRS.
Sec. 5. NRS 226.458 is hereby amended to read as follows:
226.458 1. The Student Loan Repayment for Providers of
Health Care and Public Health Professionals in Underserved
Communities Program is hereby created to repay the student
education loans of providers of health care and public health
professionals who are eligible for the Program pursuant to NRS
226.460 and 226.462 and any regulations adopted pursuant thereto.
2. The State Treasurer shall administer the Program.
3. In administering the Program, the State Treasurer shall:
(a) Ensure that persons who receive repayment of student
education loans are committed to providing health care services or
are committed to working as a public health professional , as
applicable, in an underserved community in this State;
(b) Ensure that at least 15 percent of money available for the
Program in any year be used to repay the student education loans of
providers of health care who commit to practicing or persons who
commit to working as public health professionals, as applicable, in
a county whose population is less than 100,000, to the extent that
such providers or public health professionals are participating in
the Program;
(c) With regard to money available for the Program other than
money used for the purpose described in para graph (b), prioritize ,
for providers of health care, the repayment of student education
loans for providers of primary care, providers of health care who
commit to accepting as patients recipients of Medicaid or insurance
pursuant to the Children’s Health Insurance Program and other
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providers of health care specified by the regulations adopted by the
State Treasurer pursuant to NRS 226.462; and
(d) Work collaboratively to raise awareness about the Program
with organizations that work with providers of he alth care and
public health professionals and students studying to become
providers of health care [,] or public health professionals,
including, without limitation:
(1) Educational institutions in this State, including, without
limitation, institutions in the Nevada System of Higher Education;
(2) Organizations that represent medical students and other
students studying to become providers of health care [;] or public
health professionals;
(3) Organizations that represent providers of health care [;]
or public health professionals;
(4) Tribal governments; and
(5) Organizations who advocate for improved health
outcomes in minority communities.
4. As used in this section, “primary care” means the practice of
family medicine, pediatrics, internal m edicine, psychiatry or
obstetrics and gynecology.
Sec. 6. NRS 226.460 is hereby amended to read as follows:
226.460 A provider of health care or public health
professional is eligible for repayment of a student education loan
under the Program if the provider of health care [:] or public health
professional:
1. Is a current resident of this State;
2. Is actively licensed, certified or registered in good standing
to practice in this State as a provider of health care [;] or is working
as a public health professional, as applicable; and
3. Commits to at least 5 years of clinical practice as a licensed,
certified or registered provider of health care in this State [:] or at
least 5 years of employment as a public health professional, as
applicable:
(a) In a census tract which, upon commencement of such clinical
practice [,] or employment, is designated as a qualified census tract
by the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 42(d)(5)(B)(ii);
(b) In a census tract which, upon commencement of such
clinical practice [,] or employment, has a high level of social
vulnerability as determined according to the Social Vulnerability
Index developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
of the United States Department of Health and Human Services;
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(c) In a community in which, according to the decennial census
immediately preceding the commencement of such clinical practice
[,] or employment, at least 20 percent of households were not
proficient in the English language;
(d) On tribal lands or in a community where tribal members
commonly reside;
(e) In a geographic area that has been subject to historical
instances of redlining, segregation or other discriminatory practices
on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual
orientation, sex or gender identity or expression, as determined by
the State Treasurer in accordance with the regulations adopted
pursuant to NRS 226.462; or
(f) In a county whose population is less than 100,000.
Sec. 7. NRS 226.462 is hereby amended to read as follows:
226.462 1. A provider of health care or public health
professional who meets the qualifications set forth in NRS 226.460
and wishes to receive repayment of student education loans from the
Program must submit an application to the State Treasurer in th e
form prescribed by the State Treasurer and comply with any
regulations adopted pursuant to subsection 2.
2. The State Treasurer:
(a) Shall adopt regulations prescribing the procedures and
standards, in addition to those prescribed by NRS 226.460, for
determining the eligibility of a provider of health care or public
health professional to receive repayment of a student education
loan from the Program.
(b) Shall adopt regulations establishing a methodology for
determining the amount of repayment of a student education loan
that a provider of health care or public health professional is
eligible to receive from the Program. That methodology must
include, without limitation, a sliding scale that conditions the
amount a provider of health care or public health professional
should receive from the Program on areas of specialization, type of
degree and average loan burden for the particular field of health care
in which the provider practices [.] or the professional works.
(c) Shall adopt regulations establishing the:
(1) Procedure that the State Treasurer will use to carry out
the provisions of paragraph (b) of subsection 3 of NRS 226.458; and
(2) Manner in which the Program must prioritize the
repayment of student education loans for the providers of health
care pursuant to paragraph (c) of subsection 3 of NRS 226.458.
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(d) Shall adopt regulations prescribing the manner in which the
State Treasurer will d etermine whether a geographic area meets the
requirements of paragraph (e) of subsection 3 of NRS 226.460.
(e) Shall, based on the recommendations made by the State
Board of Health pursuant to subsection 5 of NRS 439. 200,
designate positions for which the Division of Public and
Behavioral Health of the Department of Health and Human
Services or a local board of health experiences substantial
difficulty in recruitment and retention.
(f) Shall adopt regulations prescribing the procedures for the
repayment of a student education loan of a provider of health care or
public health professional who has been found eligible to receive
such repayment from the Program.
[(f)] (g) May adopt any other regulations necessary to carry out
the Program.
3. The Program may not provide to a provider of health care or
public health professional more than $120,000 for the repayment of
student education loans.
4. The application of a provider of health care or public health
professional for repayment of a student education loan and any
related personally identifiable information of the applicant is
confidential.
Sec. 8. NRS 226.466 is hereby amended to read as follows:
226.466 1. The Account for Student Loan Repayment for
Providers of Hea lth Care and Public Health Professionals in
Underserved Communities is hereby created in the State General
Fund. The State Treasurer shall administer the Account.
2. Money for the Account may be provided:
(a) By direct legislative appropriation;
(b) By transfer from another account, including, without
limitation, the Abandoned Property Trust Account created by NRS
120A.620; or
(c) As provided in subsection 5.
3. Money in the Account must be used solely:
(a) To administer the Account and the Program; and
(b) To repay the student education loans of providers of health
care and public health professionals who have qualified for such
repayment pursuant to NRS 226.460 and 226.462.
4. The interest and income earned on the money in the
Account, after deducting any applicable charges, must be credited to
the Account. Any money remaining in the Account at the end of a
fiscal year does not revert to the State General Fund, and the balance
in the Account must be carried forward to the next fiscal year.
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5. The State Treasurer may apply for and accept any gift,
donation, bequest, grant or other source of money for the purpose of
administering the Program and repaying the student education loans
of providers of health care and public health professionals who
have qualified for repayment of student education loans pursuant to
NRS 226.460 and 226.462. The State Treasurer shall deposit any
money so received into the Account.
Sec. 9. NRS 439.200 is hereby amended to read as follows:
439.200 1. The State Board of Health may by affirmative
vote of a majority of its members adopt, amend and enforce
reasonable regulations consistent with law:
(a) To define and control dangerous communicable diseases.
(b) To prevent and control nuisances.
(c) To regulate sanitation and sanitary practices in the interests
of the public health.
(d) To provide for the sanitary protection of water and food
supplies.
(e) To govern and define the powers and duties of local boards
of health and health officers, except with respect to the provisions of
NRS 444.440 to 444.620, inclusive, 444.650, 445A.170 to
445A.955, inclusive, and chapter 445B of NRS.
(f) To protect and promote the public health generally.
(g) To carry out all other purposes of this chapter.
2. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 444.650, those
regulations have the effect of law and supersede all local ordinances
and regulations inconsistent therewith, except those local ordinances
and regulations which are more stringent than the regulations
provided for in this section.
3. The State Board of Health may grant a variance from the
requirements of a regulation if it finds that:
(a) Strict application of that regulation would result in
exceptional and undue hardship to the person re questing the
variance; and
(b) The variance, if granted, would not:
(1) Cause substantial detriment to the public welfare; or
(2) Impair substantially the purpose of that regulation.
4. Each regulation adopted by the State Board of Health must
be pu blished immediately after adoption and issued in pamphlet
form for distribution to local health officers and the residents of the
State.
5. The State Board of Health shall make recommendations to
the State Treasurer regarding the designation of positions for the
regulations required to be adopted pursuant to paragraph (e) of
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subsection 2 of NRS 226.462. In determining whether to designate
a position, the Board shall make findings regarding:
(a) The history of the rate of turnover or length of vacancy for
the position;
(b) The difficulty in filling the position due to special
circumstances, including, without limitation, special educational
or experience requirements for the position; and
(c) The history and success of the efforts to recruit for the
position, including, without limitation, advertising, recruitment
outside of this State and all other efforts made.
Sec. 10. The Legislative Counsel shall, in preparing
supplements to the Nevada Administrative Code, appropriate ly
change any references to an officer, agency or other entity whose
name is changed or whose responsibilities are transferred pursuant
to the provisions of this act to refer to the appropriate officer,
agency or other entity.
Sec. 11. 1. Any administrative regulations adopted by an
officer or an agency whose name has been changed or whose
responsibilities have been transferred pursuant to the provisions of
this act to another officer or agency remain in force until amended
by the officer or agency to which the responsibility for the adoption
of the regulations has been transferred.
2. Any contracts or other agreements entered into by an officer
or agency whose name has been changed or whose responsibilities
have been tran sferred pursuant to the provisions of this act to
another officer or agency are binding upon the officer or agency to
which the responsibility for the administration of the provisions of
the contract or other agreement has been transferred. Such contracts
and other agreements may be enforced by the officer or agency to
which the responsibility for the enforcement of the provisions of the
contract or other agreement has been transferred.
3. Any action taken by an officer or agency whose name has
been chang ed or whose responsibilities have been transferred
pursuant to the provisions of this act to another officer or agency
remains in effect as if taken by the officer or agency to which the
responsibility for the enforcement of such actions has been
transferred.
Sec. 12. 1. This section becomes effective upon passage and
approval.
2. Sections 1 to 11, inclusive, of this act become effective:
(a) Upon passage and approval for the purpose of adopting any
regulations and performing any other preparatory administrative
tasks that are necessary to carry out the provisions of this act; and
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(b) On October 1, 2025, for all other purposes.
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