Bill > HB1623

This bill appropriates over $397 million to the Department of Health and Human Services for the federal Rural Health Transformation Program, a federal initiative aimed at improving rural healthcare, and allows for flexibility in transferring these funds between specific budget items. It also allocates $600,000 to the Bank of North Dakota to administer a new rural health loan program, which will be funded by up to $40 million transferred from the Bank's profits to a medical facility infrastructure loan fund, with these funds specifically designated for rural health loans. The bill amends existing law to establish this rural health loan program, which will provide short-term gap financing to recipients of federal rural health transformation program grants who have approved projects and a demonstrated financial need, offering loans with an annual interest rate not exceeding two percent and a term of up to three years. Additionally, the bill includes provisions for exemptions from certain state procurement and administrative rules when using the federal funds, requires grant recipients to acknowledge the temporary nature of the federal funding, and mandates that the Department of Health and Human Services report on the program's progress to the legislative management.

Budget and Finance

Legislative Management (Joint)

https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/special/bill-overview/bo1623.html