Section 110 ILCS 932/20 - Use of Repayment Program and Scholarship Program funds(a) Subject to appropriation, loan repayment funds under the Repayment Program shall be used according to the following: (1) To repay qualifying educational loans of health care professionals who agree to serve in a medical facility for a specified period of time to be determined by the Department.(2) For educational loans that were obtained prior to the date the recipient submits an application for loan repayment assistance.(3) To retire qualifying educational loans if the loans are the result of consolidated or refinanced debt. To qualify, the consolidated or refinanced loans shall: (A) be a government loan or a loan from a commercial lender; and(B) include only qualifying educational loans of the health care professional.(b) Loan repayment funds under the Repayment Program shall not be used for any of the following:(1) To repay a practice obligation resulting from educational loans or scholarships, whether from Illinois-based institutions or governments or those in other states.(2) To fulfill practice obligations to the federal government, the State, or any other entity under an agreement with the federal government, State, or other entity.(3) To retire qualifying educational loans if the consolidated or refinanced debt is: (A) commingled with nonqualifying debt; or(B) consolidated with a loan owed by another person, such as a spouse or child.(c) Loan repayment funds under the Repayment Program may not be used by the recipient to reimburse himself or herself for a loan that has been repaid.(d) Under the provisions of the federal Treasury Offset Program and the State Comptroller Act, recipients shall have their loan repayment assistance funds offset to fulfill a delinquent federal or State debt. The offset of loan repayment assistance funds shall not reduce, waive, or suspend a recipient's service obligation under this Act.(e) Subject to appropriation, Scholarship Program funds shall be used to cover the costs of training as a medical assistant or dental assistant, or another health care profession training or education program, as deemed appropriate by the Department. Costs shall include the following: (1) The cost of enrollment in a training program offered by an Illinois-based institution of higher education, an online program accredited in Illinois, an Illinois-based community college, or a recognized Illinois-based training entity.(3) Materials and test vouchers.(6) Professional equipment and attire, such as scrubs.(f) Applications for loan repayments and scholarships may be available twice a year, with at least 5 months between the closing date of the last process and application deadline for the next process. In order to meet the goal of this Act of improving diversity and community representation in the health care workforce, applications shall include questions that request demographic data from the applicant, including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, disability status, gender identity, and sexual orientation.(g) An individual who meets the eligibility requirements set forth in this Act may apply for loan repayment or scholarship funds authorized by this Act. In order to promote greater diversity and community representation in health care, the Department shall set forward criteria that prioritizes applicants, including, but not limited to, the following: (1) Those who identify as a person from a race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability status that is underrepresented in the health care sector.(2) First generation postsecondary students.(3) Reservists in the U.S. Armed Forces or military veterans.(4) Persons working in rural medical facilities.(h) An individual who is awarded a loan repayment under this Act shall not receive a concurrent loan repayment through any other Illinois or federal loan repayment program. Nothing in this Act prevents an individual from receiving consecutive loan repayment awards under this Act or any other State or federal program.Added by P.A. 102-0942,§ 20, eff. 1/1/2023.