SB706: Bill Text

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill modifies a scholarship awarded by the Higher Educational Aids Board so that it applies to students enrolled in the Marquette University School of Dentistry (MUSD).

Current law requires HEAB, in consultation with the Department of Health Services, to establish a scholarship program for state residents who enter into an agreement with HEAB to practice in a health shortage area in this state upon graduation (eligible student). HEAB may award an annual scholarship for each year of an eligible student's enrollment, up to four years, and the eligible student must agree to practice in a health shortage area for 18 months for each annual scholarship the student receives. If the student fails to meet this obligation, the student must repay the scholarships based on a specified calculation.

This bill makes changes to the program so that it applies only to students enrolled in MUSD who agree to practice dentistry in a dental health shortage area for 18 months for each annual scholarship received. The bill defines a “dental health shortage area” as an area that is federally designated as having a shortage of dental professionals, not including the counties of Brown, Dane, Kenosha, Milwaukee, and Waukesha. Under the bill, HEAB may award to no more than 15 MUSD students an annual scholarship of $30,000 per year for up to four years. A student who fails to meet his or her obligation to practice in a dental health shortage area for the requisite period must repay the scholarships in the manner required under current law.

The bill also requires HEAB to provide MUSD $350,000 annually for the development and operation of programs to support the recruitment and training of students in rural dentistry.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB706,1 Section 1. 39.465 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB706,2,2 39.465 (title) Scholarship Dentistry scholarship program.

SB706,2 Section 2. 39.465 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB706,2,6 39.465 (1) (a) “Actual practice total” is the total number of months that a student upon graduation practices dentistry in a dental health shortage area in this state. For purposes of this paragraph, a fraction of a month is counted as one month.

SB706,3 Section 3. 39.465 (1) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

SB706,2,10 39.465 (1) (b) “Dental health shortage area” has the meaning given in s. 36.60 (1) (ad), except that “dental health shortage area” does not include an area in the county of Brown, Dane, Kenosha, Milwaukee, or Waukesha.

SB706,4 Section 4. 39.465 (1) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB706,2,14 39.465 (1) (d) “Required practice total” means the total number of months a student upon graduation is required under sub. (3) to practice dentistry in a dental health shortage area in this state.

SB706,5 Section 5. 39.465 (1) (e) of the statutes is created to read:

SB706,2,16 39.465 (1) (e) “School” means the Marquette University School of Dentistry.

SB706,6 Section 6. 39.465 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB706,3,8 39.465 (2) Scholarships. In consultation with the department of health services, the board shall establish a program for awarding to no more than 15 students at the school an annual scholarship, including a stipend, equal to $30,000 for each year of a student's enrollment but not exceeding 4 years. The board shall pay the scholarships from the appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (dg). From the appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (dg), the board shall also provide the school $350,000 annually for the development and operation of programs to support the recruitment and training of students in rural dentistry.

SB706,7 Section 7. 39.465 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB706,3,15 39.465 (3) (a) A student is not eligible for a scholarship under the program established under sub. (2) unless he or she is a resident of the state and enters into an agreement with the board in which he or she agrees upon graduation to practice dentistry in a dental health shortage area in this state for a period equal to 18 months multiplied by the number of annual scholarships the board awards to the student under the program.

SB706,8 Section 8. 39.465 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB706,3,21 39.465 (3) (b) An agreement under par. (a) shall specify that if a student fails to practice dentistry in a dental health shortage area in this state for the period required under par. (a), he or she is liable to the state for an amount equal to the total dollar amount of annual scholarships awarded to the student multiplied by the student's repayment liability percentage.

SB706,9 Section 9. 39.465 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB706,4,2 39.465 (4) Geographic diversity. The In cooperation with the school, the board shall make every effort to ensure that students who are awarded scholarships under the program established under sub. (2) practice dentistry upon graduation in geographically diverse dental health shortage areas in this state.

SB706,10 Section 10. Initial applicability.

SB706,4,4 (1) This act first applies to scholarships awarded in the 2024-25 academic year.

SB706,4,5 (End)