CS/CS/HB 139 Summary

• Establishes a joint local and state dental care access account initiative to support qualified dentists practicing in dental health professional shortage areas or medically underserved areas.

• Limits new accounts to a maximum of 10 per fiscal year, with state awards ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, not to exceed 3 times the local contribution amount.

• Allows accounts to remain open for up to 5 years and requires immediate closure if dentist terminates employment, leaves designated area, stops Medicaid participation, or engages in fraudulent activity.

• Authorizes funds for dental school loan repayment, property and equipment investments, and transitional relocation expenses, with an electronic benefits transfer system for fund access.

• Appropriates $90,542 in recurring and $19,766 in nonrecurring funds for administration, $1 million in recurring funds for account allocation, and authorizes one full-time position with $46,381 salary for fiscal year 2016-2017; effective July 1, 2016.