To amend section 5120.55 of the Revised Code to permit the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction to establish a loan repayment program for recruitment of nurses.

Section 1. That section 5120.55 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec. 5120.55.  (A) As used in this section, "physician":

(1) "Licensed practical nurse" means an individual who holds a current, valid license issued under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code that authorizes the practice of nursing as a licensed practical nurse.

(2) "Nurse" means a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse.

(3) "Physician" means an individual who is authorized under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatry.

(4) "Registered nurse" means an individual who holds a current, valid license issued under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code that authorizes the practice of nursing as a registered nurse and includes a registered nurse who is a clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or certified nurse practitioner.

(B)(1) The department of rehabilitation and correction may establish a physician recruitment program under which the department, by means of a contract entered into under division (C) of this section, agrees to repay all or part of the principal and interest of a government or other educational loan incurred by a physician or nurse who agrees to provide services to inmates of correctional institutions under the department's administration. To

(2)(a) For a physician to be eligible to participate in the program, a the physician must have attended a school that was, during the time of attendance, a medical school or osteopathic medical school in this country accredited by the liaison committee on medical education or the American osteopathic association, a college of podiatry in this country recognized as being in good standing under section 4731.53 of the Revised Code, or a medical school, osteopathic medical school, or college of podiatry located outside this country that was acknowledged by the world health organization and verified by a member state of that organization as operating within that state's jurisdiction.

(b) For a nurse to be eligible to participate in the program, the nurse must have attended a school that was, during the time of attendance, a nursing school in this country accredited by the commission of collegiate nursing education or the national league for nursing accrediting commission or a nursing school located outside this country that was acknowledged by the world health organization and verified by a member state of that organization as operating within that state's jurisdiction.

(C) The department shall enter into a contract with each physician or nurse it recruits under this section. Each contract shall include at least the following terms:

(1) The physician or nurse agrees to provide a specified scope of medical, osteopathic medical, or podiatric, or nursing services to inmates of one or more specified state correctional institutions for a specified number of hours per week for a specified number of years.

(2) The department agrees to repay all or a specified portion of the principal and interest of a government or other educational loan taken by the physician or nurse for the following expenses to attend, for up to a maximum of four years, a school that qualifies the physician or nurse to participate in the program:

(a) Tuition;

(b) Other educational expenses for specific purposes, including fees, books, and laboratory expenses, in amounts determined to be reasonable in accordance with rules adopted under division (D) of this section;

(c) Room and board, in an amount determined to be reasonable in accordance with rules adopted under division (D) of this section.

(3) The physician or nurse agrees to pay the department a specified amount, which shall be no less than the amount already paid by the department pursuant to its agreement, as damages if the physician or nurse fails to complete the service obligation agreed to or fails to comply with other specified terms of the contract. The contract may vary the amount of damages based on the portion of the physician's service obligation that remains uncompleted.

(4) Other terms agreed upon by the parties.

The physician's lending institution of the physician or nurse, or the Ohio board of regents, may be a party to the contract. The contract may include an assignment to the department of the physician's duty of the physician or nurse to repay the principal and interest of the loan.

(D) If the department elects to implement the physician recruitment program, it shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that establish all of the following:

(1) Criteria for designating institutions for which physicians or nurses, or both, will be recruited;

(2) Criteria for selecting physicians or nurses, or both, for participation in the program;

(3) Criteria for determining the portion of a physician's loan which the department will agree to repay;

(4) Criteria for determining reasonable amounts of the expenses described in divisions (C)(2)(b) and (c) of this section;

(5) Procedures for monitoring compliance by physicians or nurses, or both, with the terms of their contracts;

(6) Any other criteria or procedures necessary to implement the program.

Section 2. That existing section 5120.55 of the Revised Code is hereby repealed.