KRS 164.0402: Legislative intent -- Kentucky healthcare workforce investment fund --

Administrative regulations.

(1) It is the intent of the General Assembly to address Kentucky's persistent shortage of

a broad spectrum of certified and licensed healthcare pr ofessionals, including

nurses, mental health professionals, and emergency medical services professionals,

by incentivizing collaboration between healthcare programs, healthcare industry

partners, and the Commonwealth to grow and strengthen the education an d training

pipeline of healthcare professionals within Kentucky to better serve patients across

the Commonwealth by:

(a) Improving the ability of a broad variety of Kentucky's healthcare programs to

meet the workforce demands and capacity of the Commonweal th, including

the workforce demands of historically underserved counties;

(b) Raising awareness of and interest in a broad variety of healthcare occupations

and reducing the barriers of access to the healthcare programs necessary to

pursue these occupations, including financial barriers;

(c) Increasing knowledge and awareness of opportunities in high -need areas of

healthcare, including but not limited to geriatrics and neurology;

(d) Improving pathways between high school career and technical programs and

other healthcare programs; and

(e) Developing strategies for healthcare organizations to support career growth

and development for their employees.

(2) There is hereby created the Kentucky healthcare workforce investment fund to be

administered by the council for the purpose of funding:

(a) Public and private partnerships to provide healthcare training scholarships in

accordance with KRS 164.0403 to reduce the financial barriers of Kentucky

residents seeking high-demand eligible healthcare credentials;

(b) Healthcare program incentives in accordance with KRS 164.0404 to reward

performance and excellence among the Commonwealth's healthcare

programs; and

(c) The council's administrative, research, consulting, fundraising, planning, and

analysis costs of KRS 164.0401 to 164.0407.

(3) (a) It is the intent of the General Assembly to encourage private financial and

philanthropic support of the Kentucky healthcare workforce investment fund,

as the healthcare industry directly benefits from a well -trained workforce

capable of meeting its employ ment needs and the needs of patients. To the

extent allowed by applicable laws, the fund may directly accept gifts, grants,

or donations subject to restrictions imposed by a grantor.

(b) Notwithstanding KRS 45.229, any moneys appropriated to the fund by th e

General Assembly remaining in the fund at the end of any fiscal year prior to

the 2029-2030 fiscal year shall not lapse.

(c) Any moneys appropriated to the fund by the General Assembly remaining in

the fund at the end of the 2029 -2030 fiscal year shall b e forfeited and shall

lapse to the general fund.

(d) Any moneys contributed by grantors remaining in the fund at the end of the

2029-2030 fiscal year shall be returned to each grantor proportionally based

on the amount donated by the grantor in relation to the total amount donated

by all grantors.

(4) Subject to available funds, the Kentucky healthcare workforce investment fund

shall consist of any:

(a) Appropriations designated for the fund;

(b) Funds, grants, and receipts from the council's fundraising ac tivities on behalf

of the fund; and

(c) Other moneys made available for the purposes of the fund.

(5) Any interest earnings of the fund shall become a part of the fund and shall lapse

only as provided in subsection (3) of this section, except that interest on moneys

contributed by a grantor shall not lapse. Moneys in the fund are hereby appropriated

for the purposes set forth in this section.

(6) The portion of the fund expended towards the council's costs of administering KRS

164.0401 to 164.0407 shall not exceed four percent (4%) of all gross moneys in the

fund or one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) annually, whichever

is less.

(7) (a) The council shall promulgate administrative regulations by July 1, 2023, in

accordance with this subsec tion and KRS Chapter 13A to administer KRS

164.0401 to 164.0407.

(b) At least thirty (30) days before filing an administrative regulation with the

regulations compiler, the council shall first submit the draft administrative

regulation, a detailed implemen tation plan, and other documents required to

be filed by KRS Chapter 13A to the members of the Interim Joint Committee

on Education and the Interim Joint Committee on Health Services for review

and comment.

(c) The council shall consider any comments and r ecommendations provided by

the members of the Interim Joint Committee on Education and the Interim

Joint Committee on Health Services before filing the administrative

regulation.