Amended House Bill 150 Summary

• Establishes the Rural Practice Incentive Program administered by the Chancellor of Higher Education to provide loan repayment assistance to attorneys working in underserved communities.

• Designates counties with one or fewer attorneys per 700 residents as underserved communities, with the Ohio Access to Justice Foundation assisting in determining these ratios biennially.

• Provides eligible attorneys up to $50,000 in loan repayment for tuition, fees, room and board expenses, contingent on agreeing to work in underserved communities for a minimum of three years with optional fourth and fifth years.

• Appropriates $1,500,000 to the Rural Practice Incentive Fund for fiscal year 2023 to support the program.

• Creates a task force consisting of 12 voting members from various legal and government entities to study Ohio's indigent defense system and provide recommendations to the General Assembly within one year.