KY HB358

Establishes the Coal County Paramedic Scholarship Program to provide Kentucky residents from coal-producing counties with scholarships covering up to 100% of in-state tuition and fees for paramedic programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

Recipients must be permanent residents of a coal-producing county for at least one year prior to the scholarship and agree to work full-time as a licensed paramedic in a coal-producing county for four years after program completion.

Failure to complete the paramedic program or fulfill the four-year service requirement triggers full repayment of all scholarship funds plus accrued interest, with a maximum interest rate of 12% per annum; failure to repay may result in revocation of the recipient's paramedic license.

Creates the coal county paramedic scholarship fund in the State Treasury, funded beginning July 1, 2027 by transfers of up to 1% of annual coal severance tax revenues collected under KRS 143.020, plus state appropriations, gifts, grants, and federal funds.

Unexpended fund balances at fiscal year end transfer to the local government economic assistance fund within 90 days rather than lapsing; all loan repayments are returned to the scholarship fund.