SB 308 — An Act amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in military educational programs relating to medical officer or health officer incentive program, further providing for definitions, for establishment of program, for program stipend, for additional incentives, for recoupment of incentive payments, for adjustment of stipend amounts and for eligibility; and making editorial changes.

PRINTER'S NO.    324

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 308
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY HUTCHINSON, BARTOLOTTA, KANE, J. WARD, FONTANA,
        DUSH AND PENNYCUICK, MARCH 6, 2025

     REFERRED TO VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
        MARCH 6, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in military educational programs
 3      relating to medical officer or health officer incentive
 4      program, further providing for definitions, for establishment
 5      of program, for program stipend, for additional incentives,
 6      for recoupment of incentive payments, for adjustment of
 7      stipend amounts and for eligibility; and making editorial
 8      changes.
 9      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
10   hereby enacts as follows:
11      Section 1.    Sections 3209(a) and 3210(b) of Title 51 of the
12   Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
13   § 3209.   Administration.
14      (a)    Appropriation and administrative costs.--The General
15   Assembly shall appropriate funds to pay full-time and part-time
16   educational assistance grants under this subchapter. A portion
17   of the funds appropriated may be used to pay the costs of the
18   administration of this subchapter and Subchapter B (relating to
19   [Medical Officer or Health] Specialty Branch Officer Incentive
20   Program).
 1      * * *
 2   § 3210.    Educational Assistance Program Fund.
 3      * * *
 4      (b)    Appropriation.--All money deposited into the fund and
 5   the interest the fund accrues are appropriated to the department
 6   on a continuing basis to be used for the purposes provided for
 7   under this subchapter and Subchapter B (relating to [Medical
 8   Officer or Health] Specialty Branch Officer Incentive Program).
 9      * * *
10      Section 2.      The heading of Subchapter B of Chapter 32 and
11   sections 3211, 3212, 3213, 3214, 3216, 3217, 3223 and 3232 of
12   Title 51 of are amended to read:
13                                   SUBCHAPTER B
14                   [MEDICAL OFFICER OR HEALTH ] SPECIALTY BRANCH
15                             OFFICER INCENTIVE PROGRAM
16   § 3211.    Definitions.
17      The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter
18   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
19   context clearly indicates otherwise:
20      ["Behavioral health officer."          An officer who:
21             (1)   holds a license to practice psychology under the act
22      of March 23, 1972 (P.L.136, No.52), known as the Professional
23      Psychologists Practice Act, or is a licensed clinical social
24      worker as defined in section 3 of the act of July 9, 1987
25      (P.L.220, No.39), known as the Social Workers, Marriage and
26      Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Act;
27             (2)   has malpractice insurance, is self-insured or
28      maintains insurance through a private employer; and
29             (3)   meets any applicable Federal requirements for the
30      Pennsylvania National Guard.

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 1      "Medical officer or health officer."       An officer who is any
 2   of the following:
 3          (1)     A resident physician.
 4          (2)     A physician.
 5          (3)     A physician assistant.
 6          (4)     A behavioral health officer.
 7          (5)     A public health officer or environmental science
 8      officer.]
 9      "Chaplain."    An officer who serves in the United States Army
10   Chaplain Corps.
11      "Health care officer."       An officer who serves in one of the
12   United States Air Force's following health care professions:
13          (1)     Doctor.
14          (2)     Nurse.
15          (3)     Dentist.
16          (4)     Allied Health.
17          (5)     Administration.
18      "JAG officer."       An officer who serves in the United States
19   Army Judge Advocate General's Corps.
20      "Medical officer."      An officer who serves in one of the
21   United States Army Medical Department's six corps:
22          (1)     Dental Corps.
23          (2)     Medical Corps.
24          (3)     Medical Services Corps.
25          (4)     Medical Specialist Corps.
26          (5)     Nurse Corps.
27          (6)     Veterinary Corps.
28      "Member in good standing."       A member of the Pennsylvania
29   National Guard who meets all medical, training, physical and
30   educational requirements for service and who is a satisfactory

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 1   participant in all scheduled duties and training periods.
 2      ["Physician."    An officer assigned to and serving in an
 3   authorized Army Medical Corps or Air Force Medical Corps
 4   position who:
 5          (1)   has completed a medicine residency program; and
 6          (2)   is currently practicing medicine in the United
 7      States or its territories.
 8      "Physician assistant."     An officer who:
 9          (1)   is licensed as a physician assistant under the act
10      of December 20, 1985 (P.L.457, No.112), known as the Medical
11      Practice Act of 1985; and
12          (2)   meets any applicable Federal requirements for the
13      Pennsylvania National Guard.]
14      "Program."   The [Medical Officer or Health ] Specialty Branch
15   Officer Incentive Program.
16      ["Public health officer" or "environmental science officer."
17   An officer who holds a minimum of a bachelor's degree from an
18   educational program accredited by an agency recognized by the
19   United States Secretary of Education in an environmental science
20   related field of study, including any of the following majors or
21   their equivalent:
22          (1)   Environmental science, environmental health or
23      environmental management.
24          (2)   Occupational health.
25          (3)   Industrial hygiene.
26          (4)   Public health.
27          (5)   Sanitary science or epidemiology.
28          (6)   Biology, chemistry, toxicology, geology,
29      microbiology, biochemistry or zoology.
30      "Resident physician."     An officer who:

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 1             (1)    is assigned to a medical position in the
 2      Pennsylvania National Guard;
 3             (2)    is a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy
 4      participating in graduate training;
 5             (3)    holds a license to practice medicine under the
 6      Medical Practice Act of 1985; and
 7             (4)    meets any applicable Federal requirements for the
 8      Pennsylvania National Guard.]
 9      "Specialty branch officer."       A chaplain, health care officer,
10   JAG officer or medical officer.
11   § 3212.    Establishment of program.
12      The [Medical Officer or Health ] Specialty Branch Officer
13   Incentive Program is established within the department to
14   provide educational stipends to eligible [medical officers or
15   health ] specialty branch officers in accordance with the
16   provisions of this subchapter.
17   § 3213.    Program stipend.
18      (a)    [General rule] Stipend.--
19             [(1)    A resident physician, physician or physician
20      assistant who meets the requirements under subsection (c) may
21      receive a stipend of $1,000 per month for no more than 48
22      months of medicine residency or the first 36 accession months
23      of service to the Pennsylvania National Guard.
24             (2)    A behavioral health officer, public health officer
25      or environmental science officer who meets the requirements
26      under subsection (c) may receive a stipend of $500 per month
27      for no more than the first 36 accession months of service to
28      the Pennsylvania National Guard.]
29             (3)    A medical officer or health care officer who is
30      required to have obtained a doctoral degree for entry into

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 1    the officer's military specialty and who meets the
 2    requirements under subsection (c) may receive a stipend of
 3    $1,000 per month for no more than 48 months of medicine
 4    residency or the first 36 accession months of service to the
 5    Pennsylvania National Guard.
 6        (4)   A medical officer or health care officer who is
 7    required to have obtained a master's degree for entry into
 8    the officer's military specialty and who meets the
 9    requirements under subsection (c) may receive a stipend of
10    $750 per month for no more than 48 months of medicine
11    residency or the first 36 accession months of service to the
12    Pennsylvania National Guard.
13        (5)   A medical officer or health care officer who is
14    required to have obtained a bachelor's degree for entry into
15    the officer's military specialty and who meets the
16    requirements under subsection (c) may receive a stipend of
17    $500 per month for no more than 48 months of medicine
18    residency or the first 36 accession months of service to the
19    Pennsylvania National Guard.
20        (6)   A JAG officer who is required to have obtained a
21    juris doctor degree and a license to practice law in this
22    Commonwealth for entry into the officer's military specialty
23    and who meets the requirements under subsection (c) may
24    receive a stipend of $750 per month for the first 36
25    accession months of service to the Pennsylvania National
26    Guard.
27        (7)   A chaplain who is required to obtain a bachelor's
28    degree, an ecclesiastical endorsement and a seminary graduate
29    degree, who is ordained for entry into the officer's military
30    specialty and who meets the requirements under subsection

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 1      (c), may receive a stipend of $750 per month for the first 36
 2      accession months of service to the Pennsylvania National
 3      Guard.
 4      (b)   Areas of concentration.--An area of concentration
 5   qualification for a medical or health care officer must be
 6   approved by the National Guard Bureau through a predetermination
 7   request completed by the Pennsylvania Army National Guard Army
 8   Medical Department Officer Strength Manager or the Pennsylvania
 9   Air National Guard State Air Surgeon.
10      (b.1)    Eligibility.--Medical officers and health care
11   officers assigned to administrative, planning or logistical
12   concentrations shall not be eligible for the program.
13      (c)   Requirements.--In order to qualify for a stipend under
14   subsection (a), a [medical officer or health ] specialty branch
15   officer [shall] must meet all of the following:
16            (1)   Be a member in good standing with the Pennsylvania
17      National Guard.
18            (2)   Be assigned to an appropriate medical [or], health,
19      legal or religious position in the Pennsylvania National
20      Guard.
21            (3)   Agree to serve as a [medical officer or health ]
22      specialty branch officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard
23      [after completion of residency or initial service obligation]
24      for a period of one month for each monthly stipend received.
25      This service obligation shall be concurrent with any other
26      military service obligation of the officer.
27            (4)   For a medical officer or health care officer, meet
28      Federal and State licensing requirements to practice within
29      the officer's medical specialty within this Commonwealth.
30            (5)   Meet any applicable Federal requirements for the

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 1      Pennsylvania National Guard.
 2             (6)   For a medical officer or health care officer, once
 3      licensed and eligible to be granted, maintain clinical
 4      privileges as awarded at the national guard level by the
 5      Centralized Credentials and Privileging Preparation Board.
 6      (d)     Receipt of stipend.--A stipend under subsection (a)
 7   shall be paid to an eligible [medical officer or health ]
 8   specialty branch officer whose application for the stipend is
 9   approved at the completion of each month of residency or
10   service. A [medical officer or health ] specialty branch officer
11   may not receive a stipend under subsection (a) for more than 48
12   months during the period of service in the Pennsylvania National
13   Guard.
14      (e)     Adjustments.--If the Adjutant General determines that
15   the amount available for the program in any year will be
16   insufficient to provide stipends in the amount described under
17   subsection (a), the Adjutant General may place a cap on the
18   number of [medical officers or health ] specialty branch
19   officers eligible to receive stipends or may adjust the amount
20   of the annual stipend.
21      (f)     Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
22   construed to prohibit a medical officer or health care officer
23   who is serving in the Pennsylvania National Guard before the
24   effective date of this section and who meets the requirements
25   under subsection (c) from receiving a stipend under subsection
26   (a) during the period of [medicine] medical residency or
27   service.
28   § 3214.    Additional incentives.
29      To the extent that funds are available, the Adjutant General
30   may, by regulation, establish additional incentives to aid in

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 1   the recruitment and retention of [medical officers or health ]
 2   specialty branch officers in the Pennsylvania National Guard,
 3   provided that payment of such additional incentives shall not
 4   result in a cap on participation or reduction in the amount of
 5   stipends paid under section 3213 (relating to program stipend).
 6   § 3216.   Recoupment of incentive payments.
 7      (a)    [General rule] Recoupment.--A recipient of a stipend or
 8   other incentive payment under this subchapter who fails to
 9   complete [his] the recipient's service obligation or to meet
10   other requirements established by the Adjutant General is liable
11   to the Commonwealth for repayment of all incentive payments
12   made. The Adjutant General shall notify the department if the
13   recipient fails to complete the service obligation, and the
14   promissory note under section 3215 (relating to promissory note)
15   shall be called to secure payment in full upon demand on a
16   schedule as the department may determine.
17      (b)    Forgiveness of recoupment.--The Adjutant General may
18   forgive recoupment of all or part of a recipient's stipend or
19   other incentive payment if the Adjutant General determines that
20   [his] the recipient's failure to fulfill the service obligation
21   was the result of [his] the recipient's death, discharge because
22   of disability incurred in line of duty, discharge because of a
23   medical determination that [he] the recipient is medically unfit
24   for duty when the medical condition is outside [his] the
25   recipient's control and is not due to [his] the recipient's
26   misconduct, mandatory discharge, release or retirement for age
27   or years of service or discharge, release, transfer or
28   retirement because of other compelling circumstances outside
29   [his] the recipient's control.
30   § 3217.   Adjustment of stipend amounts.

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 1      Beginning [on January 1, 2016] with calendar year 2026, and
 2   every [two] five years thereafter, the Adjutant General may
 3   adjust, by notice published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, the
 4   amounts of the stipends [set forth] specified in this subchapter
 5   by an amount equal to the change in the applicable Consumer
 6   Price Index in the preceding [two] five years provided that the
 7   Adjutant General finds sufficient funds are appropriated and
 8   available to pay for the adjusted stipends.
 9   § 3223.    Eligibility.
10      An eligible member may [apply for participation] participate
11   in the program if the eligible member does or meets all of the
12   following:
13             [(1)    Has been a satisfactory participant in Pennsylvania
14      National Guard activities for a minimum service period
15      established by the Adjutant General or is a former eligible
16      member and has received a discharge other than a dishonorable
17      discharge.]
18             (2)    [Has accepted] Accepts an obligation to serve in the
19      Pennsylvania National Guard for a period of at least eight
20      years and [has not accepted an obligation] is not receiving
21      benefits under Subchapter A (relating to Educational
22      Assistance Program) or A.1 (relating to Military Family
23      Education Program) for the same service period. The service
24      obligation to the Pennsylvania National Guard shall be two
25      years as a cadet in the military college and eight years as a
26      commissioned officer.
27             (3)    Serves as a Simultaneous Membership Program cadet in
28      the Pennsylvania National Guard and accepts a Pennsylvania
29      National Guard commission upon graduation from the military
30      college.

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 1             (4)   Provides proof of United States citizenship.
 2             (5)   Provides proof of meeting physical standards[, in
 3      effect on the effective date of this section,] required to be
 4      considered to serve in the United States Army.
 5             (6)   Provides proof of meeting academic standards[, in
 6      effect on the effective date of this section,] required to be
 7      considered to serve in the United States Army as a
 8      commissioned officer.
 9             (7)   Provides a letter of intent.
10             (8)   Provides a letter of acceptance into the Early
11      Commissioning Program.
12   § 3232.    Administration.
13      The General Assembly may appropriate funds to pay for grants
14   under Subchapter B (relating to [Medical Officer or Health]
15   Specialty Branch Officer Incentive Program).
16      Section 3.     This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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