An Act amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in military educational programs relating to medical officer or health officer incentive program, further providing for definitions, for establishment of program, for program stipend, for additional incentives, for recoupment of incentive payments, for adjustment of stipend amounts and for eligibility; and making editorial changes.

HOUSE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 324 PRINTER'S NO. 896
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 308
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY HUTCHINSON, BARTOLOTTA, KANE, J. WARD, FONTANA,
DUSH AND PENNYCUICK, MARCH 6, 2025
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED,
JUNE 4, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in military educational programs
relating to medical officer or health officer incentive
program, further providing for definitions, for establishment
of program, for program stipend, for additional incentives,
for recoupment of incentive payments, for adjustment of
stipend amounts and for eligibility; and making editorial
changes.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Sections 3209(a) and 3210(b) of Title 51 of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
§ 3209. Administration.
(a) Appropriation and administrative costs.--The General
Assembly shall appropriate funds to pay full-time and part-time
educational assistance grants under this subchapter. A portion
of the funds appropriated may be used to pay the costs of the
administration of this subchapter and Subchapter B (relating to
[Medical Officer or Health] Specialty Branch Officer Incentive
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Program).
* * *
§ 3210. Educational Assistance Program Fund.
* * *
(b) Appropriation.--All money deposited into the fund and
the interest the fund accrues are appropriated to the department
on a continuing basis to be used for the purposes provided for
under this subchapter and Subchapter B (relating to [Medical
Officer or Health] Specialty Branch Officer Incentive Program).
* * *
Section 2. The heading of Subchapter B of Chapter 32 and
sections 3211, 3212, 3213, 3214, 3216, 3217, 3223 and 3232 of
Title 51 of are amended to read:
SUBCHAPTER B
[MEDICAL OFFICER OR HEALTH] SPECIALTY BRANCH
OFFICER INCENTIVE PROGRAM
§ 3211. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
["Behavioral health officer." An officer who:
(1) holds a license to practice psychology under the act
of March 23, 1972 (P.L.136, No.52), known as the Professional
Psychologists Practice Act, or is a licensed clinical social
worker as defined in section 3 of the act of July 9, 1987
(P.L.220, No.39), known as the Social Workers, Marriage and
Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Act;
(2) has malpractice insurance, is self-insured or
maintains insurance through a private employer; and
(3) meets any applicable Federal requirements for the
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Pennsylvania National Guard.
"Medical officer or health officer." An officer who is any
of the following:
(1) A resident physician.
(2) A physician.
(3) A physician assistant.
(4) A behavioral health officer.
(5) A public health officer or environmental science
officer.]
"Chaplain." An officer who serves in the United States Army
Chaplain Corps.
"Health care officer." An officer who serves in one of the
United States Air Force's following health care professions:
(1) Doctor.
(2) Nurse.
(3) Dentist.
(4) Allied Health.
(5) Administration.
"JAG officer." An officer who serves in the United States
Army Judge Advocate General's Corps.
"Medical officer." An officer who serves in one of the
United States Army Medical Department's six corps:
(1) Dental Corps.
(2) Medical Corps.
(3) Medical Services Corps.
(4) Medical Specialist Corps.
(5) Nurse Corps.
(6) Veterinary Corps.
"Member in good standing." A member of the Pennsylvania
National Guard who meets all medical, training, physical and
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educational requirements for service and who is a satisfactory
participant in all scheduled duties and training periods.
["Physician." An officer assigned to and serving in an
authorized Army Medical Corps or Air Force Medical Corps
position who:
(1) has completed a medicine residency program; and
(2) is currently practicing medicine in the United
States or its territories.
"Physician assistant." An officer who:
(1) is licensed as a physician assistant under the act
of December 20, 1985 (P.L.457, No.112), known as the Medical
Practice Act of 1985; and
(2) meets any applicable Federal requirements for the
Pennsylvania National Guard.]
"Program." The [Medical Officer or Health] Specialty Branch
Officer Incentive Program.
["Public health officer" or "environmental science officer."
An officer who holds a minimum of a bachelor's degree from an
educational program accredited by an agency recognized by the
United States Secretary of Education in an environmental science
related field of study, including any of the following majors or
their equivalent:
(1) Environmental science, environmental health or
environmental management.
(2) Occupational health.
(3) Industrial hygiene.
(4) Public health.
(5) Sanitary science or epidemiology.
(6) Biology, chemistry, toxicology, geology,
microbiology, biochemistry or zoology.
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"Resident physician." An officer who:
(1) is assigned to a medical position in the
Pennsylvania National Guard;
(2) is a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy
participating in graduate training;
(3) holds a license to practice medicine under the
Medical Practice Act of 1985; and
(4) meets any applicable Federal requirements for the
Pennsylvania National Guard.]
"Specialty branch officer." A chaplain, health care officer,
JAG officer or medical officer.
§ 3212. Establishment of program.
The [Medical Officer or Health] Specialty Branch Officer
Incentive Program is established within the department to
provide educational stipends to eligible [medical officers or
health] specialty branch officers in accordance with the
provisions of this subchapter.
§ 3213. Program stipend.
(a) [General rule] Stipend.--
[(1) A resident physician, physician or physician
assistant who meets the requirements under subsection (c) may
receive a stipend of $1,000 per month for no more than 48
months of medicine residency or the first 36 accession months
of service to the Pennsylvania National Guard.
(2) A behavioral health officer, public health officer
or environmental science officer who meets the requirements
under subsection (c) may receive a stipend of $500 per month
for no more than the first 36 accession months of service to
the Pennsylvania National Guard.]
(3) A medical officer or health care officer who is
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required to have obtained a doctoral degree for entry into
the officer's military specialty and who meets the
requirements under subsection (c) may receive a stipend of
$1,000 per month for no more than 48 months of medicine
MEDICAL residency or the first 36 accession months of service
to the Pennsylvania National Guard.
(4) A medical officer or health care officer who is
required to have obtained a master's degree for entry into
the officer's military specialty and who meets the
requirements under subsection (c) may receive a stipend of
$750 per month for no more than 48 months of medicine MEDICAL
residency or the first 36 accession months of service to the
Pennsylvania National Guard.
(5) A medical officer or health care officer who is
required to have obtained a bachelor's degree for entry into
the officer's military specialty and who meets the
requirements under subsection (c) may receive a stipend of
$500 per month for no more than 48 months of medicine MEDICAL
residency or the first 36 accession months of service to the
Pennsylvania National Guard.
(6) A JAG officer who is required to have obtained a
juris doctor degree and a license to practice law in this
Commonwealth for entry into the officer's military specialty
and who meets the requirements under subsection (c) may
receive a stipend of $750 per month for the first 36
accession months of service to the Pennsylvania National
Guard.
(7) A chaplain who is required to obtain a bachelor's
degree, an ecclesiastical endorsement and a seminary graduate
degree, who is ordained for entry into the officer's military
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specialty and who meets the requirements under subsection
(c), may receive a stipend of $750 per month for the first 36
accession months of service to the Pennsylvania National
Guard.
(b) Areas of concentration.--An area of concentration
qualification for a medical or health care officer must be
approved by the National Guard Bureau through a predetermination
request completed by the Pennsylvania Army National Guard Army
Medical Department Officer Strength Manager or the Pennsylvania
Air National Guard State Air Surgeon .
(b.1) Eligibility.--Medical officers and health care
officers assigned to administrative, planning or logistical
concentrations shall not be eligible for the program.
(c) Requirements.--In order to qualify for a stipend under
subsection (a), a [medical officer or health] specialty branch
officer [shall] must meet all of the following:
(1) Be a member in good standing with the Pennsylvania
National Guard.
(2) Be assigned to an appropriate medical [or], health,
legal or religious position in the Pennsylvania National
Guard.
(3) Agree to serve as a [medical officer or health]
specialty branch officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard
[after completion of residency or initial service obligation]
for a period of one month for each monthly stipend received.
This service obligation shall be concurrent with any other
military service obligation of the officer.
(4) For a medical officer or health care officer, meet
Federal and State licensing requirements to practice within
the officer's medical specialty within this Commonwealth.
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(5) Meet any applicable Federal requirements for the
Pennsylvania National Guard.
(6) For a medical officer or health care officer, once
licensed and eligible to be granted, maintain clinical
privileges as awarded at the national guard level by the
Centralized Credentials and Privileging Preparation Board.
(d) Receipt of stipend.--A stipend under subsection (a)
shall be paid to an eligible [medical officer or health]
specialty branch officer whose application for the stipend is
approved at the completion of each month of residency or
service. A [medical officer or health] specialty branch officer
may not receive a stipend under subsection (a) for more than 48
months during the period of service in the Pennsylvania National
Guard.
(e) Adjustments.--If the Adjutant General determines that
the amount available for the program in any year will be
insufficient to provide stipends in the amount described under
subsection (a), the Adjutant General may place a cap on the
number of [medical officers or health] specialty branch officers
eligible to receive stipends or may adjust the amount of the
annual stipend.
(f) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to prohibit a medical officer or health care officer
who is serving in the Pennsylvania National Guard before the
effective date of this section and who meets the requirements
under subsection (c) from receiving a stipend under subsection
(a) during the period of [medicine] medical residency or
service.
§ 3214. Additional incentives.
To the extent that funds are available, the Adjutant General
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may, by regulation, establish additional incentives to aid in
the recruitment and retention of [medical officers or health]
specialty branch officers in the Pennsylvania National Guard,
provided that payment of such additional incentives shall not
result in a cap on participation or reduction in the amount of
stipends paid under section 3213 (relating to program stipend).
§ 3216. Recoupment of incentive payments.
(a) [General rule] Recoupment.--A recipient of a stipend or
other incentive payment under this subchapter who fails to
complete [his] the recipient's service obligation or to meet
other requirements established by the Adjutant General is liable
to the Commonwealth for repayment of all incentive payments
made. The Adjutant General shall notify the department if the
recipient fails to complete the service obligation, and the
promissory note under section 3215 (relating to promissory note)
shall be called to secure payment in full upon demand on a
schedule as the department may determine.
(b) Forgiveness of recoupment.--The Adjutant General may
forgive recoupment of all or part of a recipient's stipend or
other incentive payment if the Adjutant General determines that
[his] the recipient's failure to fulfill the service obligation
was the result of [his] the recipient's death, discharge because
of disability incurred in line of duty, discharge because of a
medical determination that [he] the recipient is medically unfit
for duty when the medical condition is outside [his] the
recipient's control and is not due to [his] the recipient's
misconduct, mandatory discharge, release or retirement for age
or years of service or discharge, release, transfer or
retirement because of other compelling circumstances outside
[his] the recipient's control.
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§ 3217. Adjustment of stipend amounts.
Beginning [on January 1, 2016] with calendar year 2026, and
every [two] five years thereafter, the Adjutant General may
adjust, by notice published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, the
amounts of the stipends [set forth] specified in this subchapter
by an amount equal to the change in the applicable Consumer
Price Index in the preceding [two] five years provided that the
Adjutant General finds sufficient funds are appropriated and
available to pay for the adjusted stipends.
§ 3223. Eligibility.
An eligible member may [apply for participation] participate
in the program if the eligible member does or meets all of the
following:
[(1) Has been a satisfactory participant in Pennsylvania
National Guard activities for a minimum service period
established by the Adjutant General or is a former eligible
member and has received a discharge other than a dishonorable
discharge.]
(2) [Has accepted] Accepts an obligation to serve in the
Pennsylvania National Guard for a period of at least eight
years and [has not accepted an obligation] is not receiving
benefits under Subchapter A (relating to Educational
Assistance Program) or A.1 (relating to Military Family
Education Program) for the same service period. The service
obligation to the Pennsylvania National Guard shall be two
years as a cadet in the military college and eight years as a
commissioned officer.
(3) Serves as a Simultaneous Membership Program cadet in
the Pennsylvania National Guard and accepts a Pennsylvania
National Guard commission upon graduation from the military
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college.
(4) Provides proof of United States citizenship.
(5) Provides proof of meeting physical standards[, in
effect on the effective date of this section,] required to be
considered to serve in the United States Army.
(6) Provides proof of meeting academic standards[, in
effect on the effective date of this section,] required to be
considered to serve in the United States Army as a
commissioned officer.
(7) Provides a letter of intent.
(8) Provides a letter of acceptance into the Early
Commissioning Program.
§ 3232. Administration.
The General Assembly may appropriate funds to pay for grants
under Subchapter B (relating to [Medical Officer or Health]
Specialty Branch Officer Incentive Program).
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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