An act TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING HIGHER EDUCATION, the official text

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.

1 State of Arkansas                 A Bill
2 95th General Assembly

3 Regular Session, 2025                                     SENATE BILL 504

4

5 By: Senator Irvin

6 By: Representative L. Johnson

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8                                For An Act To Be Entitled

9   AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING HIGHER EDUCATION;

10  TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS RURAL PRECEPTORSHIP PROGRAM

11  ACT; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

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13

14                                  Subtitle

15                       TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS RURAL

16                       PRECEPTORSHIP PROGRAM ACT.

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18 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:

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20  SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 60, is amended to add an

21 additional subchapter to read as follows:

22  Subchapter 16 -- Arkansas Rural Preceptorship Program Act

23

24  6-60-1601. Title.

25  This subchapter shall be known as the "Arkansas Rural Preceptorship

26 Program Act".

27

28  6-61-1602. Legislative findings and intent.

29  (a) The General Assembly finds that there is a shortage of physicians

30 practicing within rural areas of the state.

31  (b) The General Assembly intends to support the creation of the

32 Arkansas Rural Preceptorship Program, which will:

33  (1) Combine the resources of public and private organizations;

34  (2) Introduce medical students to a rural community to let the

35 medical students experience the benefits of a rural community while raising a

36 family and practicing medicine;

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                                                                           SB504

1             (3) Use a public-private partnership arrangement to assist rural

2 communities in attracting new physicians to the rural communities; and

3             (4) Provide funding for preceptorship programs in rural

4 communities.

5

6   6-60-1603. Arkansas Rural Preceptorship Program.

7   (a)(1) The Arkansas Rural Preceptorship Program is established to help

8 provide funding for preceptorship programs in rural communities throughout

9 the state.

10            (2) The program established under subdivision (a)(1) of this

11 section shall provide an opportunity for medical students to be placed in a

12 preceptorship at any participating clinic, hospital, federal qualified health

13 center, or other healthcare facility.

14  (b) The following institutions shall be eligible to participate in the

15 program:

16            (1) The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences;

17            (2) The Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine;

18            (3) The New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic

19 Medicine at Arkansas State University; and

20            (4) The Alice L. Walton School of Medicine.

21  (c) The Division of Higher Education shall:

22            (1) Administer the program; and

23            (2) Release funding at the per diem rate to a participating

24 institution under subdivision (b) of this section to reimburse the

25 institution for any participating medical student for up to three (3) weeks

26 of placement in the program.

27  (d) Funding for the program under this section may be provided from

28 public or private funds.

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