CA AB2522

Establishes the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program administered by the Department of Health Care Access and Information to provide loan assistance payments to qualifying public health workforce staff in California state, local, or tribal public health departments.

Requires the department to begin providing loan assistance payments by July 1, 2024, with maximum awards not exceeding $150,000 per individual and awardees must commit to remain employed full-time for a minimum of three years (reduced by one year for those who served in COVID-19 response leadership positions).

Gives preference to applicants who served in COVID-19 response leadership positions (until July 1, 2024) and those serving in designated primary care health professional shortage areas when funding is insufficient for all applicants.

Requires annual reports to be posted by April 4th each year containing data on applicant numbers, regional breakdown, awardee counts, total funding awarded, average award amounts, and information on awardees who fail to fulfill service obligations.

Appropriates $90,000,000 from the General Fund ($50,000,000 for fiscal year 2024–2025 and $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2025–2026) with administrative costs not to exceed 10 percent of total program allocation.