Section 35 - [Effective Until 7/1/2024] Vermont Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program(a) As used in this section: (1) "AHEC" means the Vermont Area Health Education Centers program.(2) "Eligible individual" means an individual who satisfies the eligibility requirements for loan repayment under this section.(3) "Eligible school" means an approved postsecondary education institution, as defined under 16 V.S.A. § 2822.(4) "Loan repayment" means the cancellation and repayment of loans under this section.(5) "Loans" means education loans guaranteed, made, financed, serviced, or otherwise administered by an accredited educational lender for attendance at an eligible school.(6) "Program" means the Vermont Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program created under this section.(b) The Vermont Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program is created and shall be administered by the Department of Health in collaboration with AHEC. The Program provides loan repayment on behalf of individuals who live and work in this State as a nurse, physician assistant, medical technician, child psychiatrist, or primary care provider and who meet the eligibility requirements in subsection (d) of this section.(c) The loan repayment benefits provided under the Program shall be paid on behalf of the eligible individual by AHEC, subject to the appropriation of funds by the General Assembly for this purpose.(d) To be eligible for loan repayment under the Program, an individual shall satisfy all of the following requirements:(1) have graduated from an eligible school where the individual was awarded a degree in nursing, physician assistant studies, medicine, osteopathic medicine, or naturopathic medicine, or a two- or four-year degree that qualifies the individual to be a medical technician;(2) work in this State as a nurse, physician assistant, medical technician, child psychiatrist, or primary care provider; and(3) be a resident of Vermont.(e)(1) An eligible individual shall be entitled to an amount of loan cancellation and repayment under this section equal to one year of loans for each year of service as a nurse, physician assistant, medical technician, child psychiatrist, or primary care provider in this State. Employment as a traveling nurse shall not be construed to satisfy the service commitment required for loan repayment under this section.(2) AHEC shall award loan repayments in amounts that are sufficient to attract high-quality candidates while also making a meaningful increase in Vermont's health care professional workforce.Added by 2022 , No. 183, § 26, eff. 7/1/2022.This section is set out more than once due to postponed, multiple, or conflicting amendments.