Submitted

On Friday, May 12, Governor Laura Kelly signed House Bill 2060, a bipartisan bill that will provide students with medical school financial assistance. HB 2060 expands financial aid programs through the University of Kansas School of Medicine (KUMC) for students who practice primary care medicine or psychiatry in rural Kansas.

“Primary care physicians and psychiatric professionals are needed across the state,” Governor Kelly said. “This provides an opportunity for recent graduates to go into the field of medicine to meet the needs of Kansans while receiving relief from student loan debt incurred to become a medical professional.”

The bill doubles the number of available agreements for Kansas University Medical Center (KUMC) students for the Kansas Medical Student Loan program and adds obstetrics-gynecology to the list of allowable practice areas. It also authorizes the Kansas Board of Regents to award osteopathic medical service scholarships to Kansas residents who are undergraduate students enrolled in or admitted to pre-accredited schools of osteopathic medicine.

HB 2060 also continues providing incentives to Kansas community and technical colleges for individuals who have received or are pursuing a General Education Development credential while enrolled in an eligible technical career education program.

Governor Kelly also signed House Bill 2021, which is intended to expand services for youth involved in the justice system.