Dental student loan repayment program.

WORKING DRAFT

ORIGINAL SENATE

FILE

NO.
0045

ENROLLED ACT NO. 42, SENATE

FIFTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2007 GENERAL SESSION

AN ACT relating to a dental student loan repayment program; establishing an education loan repayment program for students seeking to pursue a degree in dentistry; specifying requirements; providing for loan forgiveness as specified; requiring reports; providing for a continuous appropriation; providing an appropriation; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

W.S. 21
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17
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118 is created to read:

21-17-118.

Authority to offer course in dentistry through contracts with other institutions; contracts with students; repayment of funds expended; deposit of repayments.

(a)

In addition to other powers granted to the trustees of the University of Wyoming, the board may offer and provide at other institutions, universities or colleges, a course of training and education in the field of dentistry.

(b)

To accomplish the purposes of this section, the board of trustees may enter into contracts with other institutions, universities or colleges outside the state that maintain schools for the training and education of students in dentistry and to expend funds appropriated for this purpose in connection therewith.

(c)

In entering into contracts with institutions, the board of trustees shall give preference to institutions that agree to provide students with a training rotation or externship in Wyoming.

(d)

Students desiring to avail themselves of the opportunities under this section, before enrolling for such courses and having completed the admissions process into the dental education program at a school of dentistry with which the university has an agreement under subsection (a) of this section, must be approved by the president of the university acting with the advice of the state board of dentistry. No student shall be approved by the president unless the student or the student's father, mother or lawful guardian are residents of Wyoming and have been residents for not less than five (5) years immediately prior thereto.

(e)

In addition to the requirements of subsection (c) of this section, before expending any funds the board of trustees shall obtain an agreement from each student whereby the student agrees to:

(i)

Authorize the state of Wyoming to pay the costs of education incurred in his dentistry education as determined by any contract between the state of Wyoming and the school of dentistry providing that education: and

(A)

Actively engage in professional practice or other professional pursuits in dentistry in Wyoming for a period of three (3) years; or

(B)

Repay all amounts expended by the state of Wyoming under this paragraph on the student's education, together with interest which shall begin accruing after the student's graduation, but in no event later than five (5) years after the student enters into an agreement, upon terms specified by the board. However, interest shall begin to accrue if the board finds that the student has withdrawn from the school of dentistry or is otherwise not making satisfactory progress toward completion of the degree or program. Money expended under this paragraph shall accrue interest at an annual rate equal to that charged for federal Stafford loans at the time interest begins to accrue, which rate shall be adjusted annually to match the federal Stafford loan rate. In no event shall the interest rate be greater than eight percent (8%).

(ii)

During the time required to practice under subparagraph (i)(A) of this subsection, treat under terms and conditions specified in the agreement Wyoming patients eligible for services under the Wyoming Medical Assistance and Services Act or the child and parent health insurance program pursuant to Wyoming Statutes title 35, chapter 25. All contract provisions established under this paragraph shall be developed in consultation with the state board of dentistry and the department of health.

(f)

Upon recommendation of the president of the university, the board of trustees may relieve a student of the obligation to repay amounts expended under paragraph (d)(i) of this section, in whole or in part, where repayment would cause undue hardship. The university shall annually report the number of students relieved from repayment under this subsection to the joint labor, health and social services interim committee not later than October 1.

(g)

Any amounts paid by dentistry students in accordance with the contractual arrangements authorized under this section shall be deposited into a special account designated the Dentistry School Student Account, maintained and separately accounted for by the University of Wyoming, which account may be added to by specific contributions from other sources. The account may be invested, at the discretion of the president of the University of Wyoming, for the production of income. The investment income shall be expended by the University of Wyoming for assistance and scholarships to dentistry students as authorized by the president of the University of Wyoming and the dean of the college of health sciences. The principal of the fund established shall remain unimpaired and only the income derived therefrom may be collected and expended from year to year. On or before October 1 of each year, the university shall submit a report to the joint labor, health and social services interim committee on income to the fund and expenditures from fund earnings during the prior fiscal year.

Section 2.

(a)

The University of Wyoming shall, in consultation with the Wyoming board of dentistry and Wyoming professional dental organizations, enter into negotiations with schools of dentistry at Creighton University, the University of Nebraska, and if feasible, other schools of dentistry to pay the cost of education for not to exceed a total of ten (10) seats annually in each class year of dental students under the program created by this act. Thus, when all class levels are full, the program would have a maximum of forty (40) students. The University of Wyoming shall pursue establishing the program to the extent feasible for the fall 2007 entering classes. By October 1, 2007, the university shall provide a progress report to the joint labor, health and social services interim committee regarding the implementation of this act.

(b)

There is appropriated from the general fund to the University of Wyoming five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00), or as much thereof as is necessary, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2007, to implement this act, including expenses related to contract negotiations with dental schools, contract administration, and recruitment of undergraduates into the dental profession. These funds shall be included in the university’s 167 medical education budget and not in its block grant. Unexpended and unobligated funds appropriated under this section shall not revert at the end of the fiscal biennium and shall be used exclusively for the program created by this act during the fiscal biennium commencing July 1, 2008.

Section 3.

This act is immediately effective upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the Senate.

Chief Clerk

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