Chapter 39

39.325(1) (1) There is established, to be administered by the board, a Wisconsin health education loan program under P.L. 94-484, on July 29, 1979, in order to provide financial aid to medical and dentistry students enrolled in the University of Wisconsin Medical School, the Medical College of Wisconsin or Marquette University School of Dentistry.

39.325(2) (2) The board shall lend to students who qualify under sub. (1) any moneys appropriated or authorized through the issuance of revenue obligations. The board shall require a student borrowing moneys under this section to pay interest while in medical or dental school and during his or her residency training at the rate of at least 3 percent per year on the sum of the principal amount of the student’s obligation and the accumulated interest, unless federal law provides otherwise as a condition of guaranteeing the loan. Principal and interest payable on maturing revenue obligations shall, when necessary, be paid from funded reserves, authorized under subch. II of ch. 18, or from moneys made available under chapter 20, laws of 1981, section 2022 (1).

39.325(3) (3) The board shall promulgate rules and establish standards and methods of determining the amounts of loans, rates of interest and other administrative procedures consistent with P.L. 94-484, on July 29, 1979. The rates of interest shall be set as low as possible, but shall remain sufficient to cover all costs of the program under this section.

39.325 History History: 1979 c. 34; 1981 c. 20; 1983 a. 27; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27.

39.33 39.33 Guaranteed student loan program.

39.33(1) (1) The board may organize and maintain a nonstock corporation under ch. 181 to provide for a guaranteed student loan program in this state under P.L. 89-287 and P.L. 89-329 as may from time to time be amended. The board may make use of and pay for the use of the facilities and services of such corporation.

39.33(2) (2) The board may provide administrative services for the nonstock corporation with which the board has entered into a contractual agreement for purposes of providing for a guaranteed student loan program in this state. Services provided under this section shall be in accordance with the decision of the board as to the type and scope of services requested and the civil service range of any employee assigned to them.

39.33(3) (3) The board or the legislature or any person delegated by the legislature may inspect and examine or cause an inspection and examination of all records relating to all programs that are, or are to be, administered under contractual agreement between the board and the corporation.

39.33 History History: 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27.

39.34 39.34 Medical student loan program. Notwithstanding s. 39.34, 1991 stats., the board shall terminate on August 12, 1993, any obligation to repay a loan awarded under this section.

39.34 History History: 1975 c. 118, 224; 1993 a. 16; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27.

39.35 39.35 Repayment of scholarships for teachers in educationally disadvantaged areas. Notwithstanding s. 39.35, 1969 stats., and s. 39.35, 1991 stats., the board shall terminate on August 12, 1993, any obligation to repay a student aid award made under this section.

39.35 History History: 1975 c. 189, 422; 1985 a. 29; 1993 a. 16; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27.

39.36 39.36 Repayment of stipends for teachers of the impaired. Notwithstanding s. 39.36, 1969 stats., s. 39.37 (3) (b), 1969 stats., and s. 39.36, 1991 stats., the board shall terminate on August 12, 1993, any obligation to repay a stipend awarded under this section.

39.36 History History: 1975 c. 189, 422; 1985 a. 29; 1993 a. 16; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27; 2019 a. 9.

39.37 39.37 Student loan funding.

39.37(1) (1) Student loans made or authorized to be made under s. 39.32 may be funded from the proceeds of revenue obligations issued subject to and in accordance with subch. II of ch. 18.

39.37(2) (2) There is created a separate nonlapsible trust fund designated the student loan repayment fund consisting of all revenues received in repayment of student loans funded under this section, and any other revenues dedicated to it by the board. The board may pledge revenues received or to be received by the fund to secure revenue obligations issued under this section, and shall have all other powers necessary and convenient to distribute the proceeds of the revenue obligations and loan repayments in accordance with subch. II of ch. 18.

39.37(3) (3) All student loans funded with revenue obligations issued under this section shall be fully guaranteed as to repayment of principal and interest from among a nonstock corporation organized under s. 39.33 (1), the United States, its agencies or instrumentalities. The board may enter into agreements necessary to affect this guaranty.

39.37(4) (4) Revenue obligations issued under this section shall not exceed $295,000,000 in principal amount, excluding obligations issued to refund outstanding revenue-obligation notes.

39.37(5) (5) Except as may otherwise be expressly provided in resolutions authorizing the issuance of revenue obligations, each issue of revenue obligations shall be on a parity with every other revenue obligation issued under this section, payable in accordance with subch. II of ch. 18, subject only to any agreements with the holders of particular revenue obligations pledging any particular receipts or revenues.

39.37 History History: 1977 c. 29; 1979 c. 34, 221; 1981 c. 20; 1983 a. 27; 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 69; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27.

39.374 39.374 Wisconsin health education loan program funding.

39.374(1) (1) Loans made or authorized to be made under s. 39.325 may be funded from the proceeds of revenue obligations issued subject to and in accordance with subch. II of ch. 18.

39.374(2) (2) All revenues received in repayment of loans funded under this section or loans financed from moneys made available under chapter 20, laws of 1981, section 2022 (1), shall be deposited in the general fund.

39.374(3) (3) All loans funded with revenue obligations issued under this section shall be fully guaranteed as to repayment of principal and interest by the United States, its agencies or instrumentalities. The board may enter into agreements necessary to effect this guaranty.

39.374(4) (4) Revenue obligations issued under this section shall not exceed $92,000,000 in principal amount, excluding obligations issued to refund outstanding revenue-obligation bonds and notes.

39.374(5) (5) Except as may otherwise be expressly provided in resolutions authorizing the issuance of revenue obligations, each issue of revenue obligations shall be on a parity with every other revenue obligation issued under this section, payable in accordance with subch. II of ch. 18, subject only to any agreements with the holders of particular revenue obligations pledging any particular receipts or revenues.

39.374 History History: 1979 c. 34; 1981 c. 20, 317; 1983 a. 27, 383; 1991 a. 269; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27; 2005 a. 25.

39.38 39.38 Indian student assistance.

39.38(1) (1) There is established, to be administered by the board, a grant program to assist those Indian students who are residents of this state to receive a higher education.

39.38(2) (2) Grants under this section shall be based on financial need, as determined by the board. The maximum grant shall not exceed $2,200 per year, of which not more than $1,100 may be from the appropriation under s. 20.235 (1) (k). State aid from this appropriation may be matched by a contribution from a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band that is deposited in the general fund and credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (gm). Grants shall be awarded to students for full-time or part-time attendance at any accredited institution of higher education in this state. The board may not make a grant under this section to a student whose name appears on the statewide support lien docket under s. 49.854 (2) (b), unless the student provides to the board a payment agreement that has been approved by the county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) and that is consistent with rules promulgated under s. 49.858 (2) (a). Grants shall be renewable for up to 5 years if a recipient remains in good academic standing at the institution that he or she is attending.

39.38 History History: 1971 c. 125; 1979 c. 34; 1981 c. 20; 1987 a. 27; 1991 a. 39; 1995 a. 27, 404; 1997 a. 27; 1999 a. 9.

39.38 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. HEA 6, Wis. adm. code.

39.382 39.382 Tribal college payments.

39.382(1) (1) In this section:

39.382(1)(a) (a) “Bureau of Indian education” means the bureau of Indian education in the federal department of the interior.

39.382(1)(b) (b) “Indian student” has the meaning given in 25 USC 1801 (a) (7).

39.382(1)(c) (c) “Indian student count” has the meaning given in 25 USC 1801 (a) (8).

39.382(1)(d) (d) “Tribal college” means an accredited college, operated or controlled by a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state, that meets the requirements of 25 USC 1804.

39.382(2) (2) From the appropriation under s. 20.235 (1) (kc), the board shall make payments to the governing bodies of tribal colleges, as provided in subs. (4) and (5).

39.382(3) (3) Not later than October 15 of each year, the governing body of any tribal college that desires to receive payments under sub. (2) shall report to the board all of the following:

39.382(3)(a) (a) The number of full-time equivalent students enrolled at the tribal college for the previous academic year who reside in Wisconsin and for whom the tribal college will not receive funds from the bureau of Indian education.

39.382(3)(b) (b) The Indian student count for the previous academic year.

39.382(3)(c) (c) The per student funding amount that the tribal college has received or expects to receive from the bureau of Indian education based on the tribal college’s reported Indian student count for the previous academic year.

39.382(4) (4) Not later than December 31 of each year, the board shall make a payment to each governing body of a tribal college that has timely submitted to the board a report under sub. (3). Subject to sub. (5), the amount of the annual payment to each tribal college shall be the result obtained by multiplying the number reported under sub. (3) (a) by the per student funding amount reported under sub. (3) (c).

39.382(5) (5) If the moneys appropriated under s. 20.235 (1) (kc) are not sufficient to make full payment to each tribal college under sub. (4), the board shall prorate the payments to tribal colleges under sub. (4) in the proportion that the moneys available bears to the total amount of payments that would be made if sufficient moneys had been appropriated under s. 20.235 (1) (kc).

39.382 History History: 2015 a. 55.

39.385 39.385 Primary care and psychiatry shortage grant program.

39.385(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

39.385(1)(a) (a) “Graduate medical education training program” means any of the following:

39.385(1)(a)1. 1. A program of education in a medical specialty following the completion of medical school that prepares a physician for the independent practice of medicine in that specialty.

39.385(1)(a)2. 2. A program of education in a medical subspecialty following the completion of education in a medical specialty that prepares a physician for the independent practice of medicine in that subspecialty.

39.385(1)(b) (b) “Grant program” means the primary care and psychiatry shortage grant program under this section.

39.385(1)(c) (c) “Health professional shortage area” has the meaning given in s. 36.60 (1) (aj).

39.385(1)(d) (d) “Health service shortage area” means an area designated by the governor and certified by the federal secretary of health and human services under 42 USC 1395x as an area with a shortage of personal health services.

39.385(1)(e) (e) “Medically underserved area” has the meaning given in 42 CFR Part 51c, section 102 (e).

39.385(1)(f) (f) “Primary care medicine” means any of the following medical specialties:

39.385(1)(f)1. 1. Family practice.

39.385(1)(f)2. 2. Internal medicine.

39.385(1)(f)3. 3. Pediatrics.

39.385(1)(f)4. 4. General surgery.

39.385(1)(g) (g) “Psychiatry” includes child psychiatry.

39.385(1)(h) (h) “Underserved area” means a health professional shortage area, a health service shortage area, or a medically underserved area.

39.385(2) (2) Establishment of program. There is established, to be administered by the board, a primary care and psychiatry shortage grant program to encourage primary care physicians and psychiatrists who meet the eligibility requirements specified in sub. (3) to practice primary care medicine and psychiatry in underserved areas in this state by providing grants of financial assistance to those physicians and psychiatrists as provided in sub. (4).

39.385(3) (3) Eligibility. A physician or psychiatrist is eligible for financial assistance as provided under sub. (4) if the physician or psychiatrist meets all of the following requirements:

39.385(3)(a) (a) He or she practices primary care medicine or psychiatry in an underserved area in this state.

39.385(3)(b) (b) He or she graduated from a graduate medical education training program with an emphasis on primary care medicine or psychiatry.

39.385(3)(c) (c) He or she does not appear on the statewide support lien docket under s. 49.854 (2) (b), unless the physician provides to the board a payment agreement that has been approved by the county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) and that is consistent with rules promulgated under s. 49.858 (2) (a).

39.385(4) (4) Financial assistance.

39.385(4)(a) (a)

39.385(4)(a)1. 1. From the appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (fp), the board shall grant financial assistance to physicians and psychiatrists who meet the eligibility requirements specified in sub. (3), who apply for participation in the grant program as provided in par. (b), and who submit claims for that financial assistance as provided in par. (c). From s. 20.235 (1) (fp), the board shall allocate not more than $750,000 for financial assistance under the grant program to physicians and not more than $750,000 for financial assistance under the grant program to psychiatrists.

39.385(4)(a)2. 2. The board may grant financial assistance under the grant program to no more than 12 physicians and no more than 12 psychiatrists in a fiscal year. If more than 12 physicians or more than 12 psychiatrists apply for participation in the grant program in a fiscal year, the board shall consider the order in which those applications are received and the health professional shortage area score, as determined by the health resources and services administration of the federal department of health and human services, of the underserved area in which the applicant is practicing primary care medicine or psychiatry in selecting participants in the grant program.

39.385(4)(a)3. 3. An individual physician or psychiatrist may receive financial assistance under the grant program in no more than 3 fiscal years.

39.385(4)(b) (b) A physician or psychiatrist may apply for participation in the grant program by submitting an application to the board in a form prescribed by the board. A physician or psychiatrist may submit that application while the physician or psychiatrist is participating in a graduate medical education training program described in sub. (3) (b). The application shall include such information as the board may require to establish that the physician or psychiatrist meets the eligibility requirements specified in sub. (3) for participation in the grant program and any other information the board may require by rule promulgated under sub. (5).

39.385(4)(c) (c) After each year in which a physician or psychiatrist who has been accepted for participation in the grant program practices primary care medicine or psychiatry in an underserved area in this state, the physician or psychiatrist may submit to the board a claim for financial assistance. The claim shall include the signature of the physician or psychiatrist and of a representative of the practice in which the physician or psychiatrist is employed or otherwise affiliated certifying that during the period for which financial assistance is claimed the physician or psychiatrist practiced primary care medicine or psychiatry in an underserved area in this state and such other information as the board may require by rule promulgated under sub. (5) to verify the physician’s or psychiatrist’s eligibility for financial assistance.

39.385(4)(d) (d) If the board determines that a physician or psychiatrist who submits a claim for financial assistance under par. (c) is eligible to receive that assistance, the board shall provide that assistance, subject to the amounts available in the appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (fp).

39.385(5) (5) Rules. The board shall promulgate rules to implement and administer this section. Those rules shall include rules specifying the information a physician or psychiatrist must include in an application for participation in the grant program under sub. (4) (b) and in a claim for financial assistance under sub. (4) (c).

39.385 History History: 2013 a. 128; 2017 a. 59.

39.39 39.39 Nursing student stipend loans.

39.39(1) (1) 

39.39(1)(a) (a) There is established, to be administered by the board, a stipend loan program for resident students, including registered nurses, who are:

39.39(1)(a)1. 1. Enrolled in the 2nd year in a program leading to an associate degree in nursing in a technical college.

39.39(1)(a)2. 2. Enrolled as juniors in a program leading to a bachelor’s degree in nursing in this state.

39.39(1)(a)3. 3. Enrolled as 3rd year students in a program leading to a diploma in nursing in this state.

39.39(1)(a)4. 4. Enrolled as seniors in a program leading to a bachelor’s degree in nursing in this state.

39.39(1)(a)5. 5. Enrolled in a program leading to a master’s degree in nursing in this state and who intend to teach nursing at an institution of higher education located in this state.

39.39(2) (2) The board shall:

39.39(2)(a) (a) Make stipend loans from the appropriations under s. 20.235 (1) (cg) and (gg).