06 LC 33
1085
Senate
Bill 507
By:
Senators Thomas of the 54th, Smith of the 52nd, Unterman of the 45th, Hill of
the 32nd, Goggans of the 7th and others
AS
PASSED SENATE
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Chapter 34 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to physicians for rural areas assistance, so as to revise the purpose of the
chapter; to revise certain provisions regarding priority for certain
specialties; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for
other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Chapter
34 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to physicians
for rural areas assistance, is amended by striking Code Section 31-34-2,
relating to the purpose of the chapter, and inserting in lieu thereof the
following:
"31-34-2.
It
is the purpose of this chapter to increase the number of physicians in physician
under served rural areas of Georgia by making loans to
young
physicians who
recently
have
completed their medical education and
allowing such loans to be repaid by such physicians agreeing to practice
medicine in such rural
areas."
SECTION
2.
Said
chapter is further amended in Code Section 31-34-4, relating to loan applicant
qualifications and rules and regulations, by striking subsection (c) and
inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"(c)
The board is authorized to consider among other criteria for granting loans
under the provisions of this chapter the state residency status and home area of
the applying physician and to give priority to those applicants who are
physicians
specializing
in and actively practicing obstetrics
actively
practicing or beginning active practice in specialties experiencing shortages or
distribution problems in rural areas of this state as determined by the board
pursuant to rules and regulations adopted by it in accordance with this
chapter.
After
giving such priority, the board may also consider, in the following order of
priority, the applications of physicians specializing in obstetrics/gynecology,
family practice, general practice, general internal medicine, general
pediatrics, general surgery, psychiatry, or other medical specialties approved
by the
board."
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.