LB 312 Legislature · 109th Legislature (2025-2026)

Include nurse anesthesia practice and dietitian nutrition practice under the Rural Health Systems and Professional Incentive Act

This bill adds nurse anesthetists and dietitian nutritionists to Nebraska's Rural Health Systems and Professional Incentive Act. It expands eligibility for student loans and loan repayment programs to include these professions, allowing them to qualify for financial assistance if they practice in designated health shortage areas. Specifically, nurse anesthetists and dietitian nutritionists become eligible for up to $15,000 annually in loan repayment (capped at $45,000 total) under the same terms as other qualifying healthcare providers like nurse practitioners and physical therapists. The bill amends existing statutes to formally include these professions in program eligibility and shortage area designations.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
Legislature Passage
Apr 2025
Legislature Passage
Mar 2025
Signed into Law
Apr 2025
Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Signed Apr 8, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Final Reading · 4 edits
MODERATE
This bill revision expands the Rural Health Systems and Professional Incentive Act to include dietitian nutritionists alongside existing professions like nurse anesthetists and mental health practitioners. The changes add dietitian nutritionists to eligibility requirements for both student loans and loan repayment programs, ensuring they can access the same financial incentives as other healthcare professionals working in rural shortage areas.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded to include dietitian nutritionists as an eligible profession for financial assistance programs, whereas the original version only included medical, dental, and mental health professionals.
ELIGIBILITY

Dietitian nutritionists are now included as an eligible profession for student loans and loan repayment programs under the Rural Health Systems and Professional Incentive Act.

Updated eligibility criteria in Section 71-5662 to add dietitian nutritionists to the list of qualifying healthcare professions alongside pharmacists, dentists, and mental health practitioners.

Added dietitian nutritionists to the list of professions eligible for loan repayment assistance in Section 71-5663, with the same funding limits as other allied health professionals.

REQUIREMENT

Updated licensing requirements to specify that dietitian nutritionists must be licensed under section 38-1813 to qualify for program benefits.

Floor votes · Legislature Mar 11, 2025

How they voted

380
Passed · 11 other
Total votes 49
Mar 11, 2025
N Nonpartisan49
38 Yea 11
77% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
18
Key actions
5
Committee
2
Amendments
1
Jun 6, 2025
Introduced
Provisions/portions of LB553 amended into LB312 by AM591
legislature
Apr 8, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by Governor on April 7, 2025
executive
Apr 3, 2025
Legislature · Passed
President/Speaker signed
legislature
Apr 3, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Passed on Final Reading 46-1*-2
legislature
Mar 11, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Riepe AM591 adopted
legislature
Feb 10, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Placed on General File
legislature
Jan 21, 2025
Committee
Referred to Health and Human Services Committee
legislature
Jan 16, 2025
Introduced
Date of introduction
legislature
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Paul Strommen
Paul Strommen
NNonpartisan
NE
47