Compare versions

--- version:Acts Chapter 186
+++ version:(document, no version)
@@ -1,92 +1,25 @@
-CHAPTER 186
-Legislative Research Commission PDF Version
+HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 
-1
-CHAPTER 186
-( SJR 116 )
-A JOINT RESOLUTION directing the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville, and Eastern
-Kentucky University to coordinate a search for actionable solutions to physici an shortages and to explore and expand
-health care opportunities in medically underserved areas in collaboration with community, state agency, professional
-associations, and other stakeholders.
-WHEREAS, over 75 percent of physicians practice in urban areas  in Kentucky, leaving many counties with a
-shortage of physicians; and
-WHEREAS, the United States Department of Health and Human Services has designated 40 counties as health
-professional shortage areas for primary care providers; and
-WHEREAS, without loca l access to physicians, individuals in medically underserved areas are often
-compelled to travel long distances to other counties for health care, which may involve transportation and financial
-barriers and result in individuals going without care; and
-WHEREAS, regular primary care physician visits serve as the first line in diagnosing illness and have been
-associated with a reduced number of hospitalizations and emergency room department visits; and
-WHEREAS, the Association of American Medical Colleges rep orts that 57 percent of medical residents
-continued practicing medicine in their training state; and
-WHEREAS, 38 percent of physicians practice medicine in the same state where they completed undergraduate
-medical education, and the rate is higher for public undergraduate medical school graduates, 46 percent; and
-WHEREAS, according to the American Medical Association, the highest state retention rates are for family
-medicine, 64.6 percent, psychiatry, 64.5 percent, and pediatrics, 60 percent; and
-WHEREAS, while some efforts have been made to increase medical residency placements and admissions into
-medical school in Kentucky, these efforts have not been nearly enough to meet the need; and
-WHEREAS, greater efforts could be taken to encourage medical school gr aduates to complete their
-residencies in medically underserved areas so they might be compelled to continue practicing medicine and living
-there; and
-WHEREAS, opportunities to expand health care access in medically underserved areas may include health
-care workforce diversification, innovative technology -enabled solutions and support, and attention to non -clinical
-health care needs and community-based care;
-NOW, THEREFORE,
-Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:
-Section 1.   (1) The General Assembly directs the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville,
-and Eastern Kentucky University to coordinate a search for actionable solutions to the physician shortages and to
-explore and expand health care opportunities in c ollaboration with community, state agency, professional
-associations, and other stakeholders. The search to find actionable solutions and explore opportunities to expand
-health care access shall focus on the:
-(a) Shortage of primary and specialty care physicians in medically underserved areas;
-(b) Chronic lack of access to physician care by medically underserved populations;
-(c) Retaining of physicians in medically underserved areas; and
-(d) Workforce, technological, and community-based opportunities to increase access to care.
-(2) The search and exploration shall include an examination of:
-(a) Current actions being taken;
-(b) Possibilities for building on current actions; and
-(c) Innovative actions that may be taken, including but not limited to:
-ACTS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2
-1. Sponsorship of community graduate medical education programs;
-2. Growing graduate medical education sites in medically underserved areas;
-3. Encouraging safe international physician recruitment;
-4. Increasing basic administration reimbursement for recruit ment and placement services of medical
-students, residents, and physicians;
-5. Integrating workforce diversification in educational programs;
-6. Expanding technological health care delivery options; and
-7. Considering community-based medical models.
-(3) The search and exploration shall include an analysis of any existing regulatory or statutory barriers to
-achieving a solution that attracts providers to medically underserved areas and does not limit modifications or
-expansions to medical education programs.
-(4) The University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville, and Eastern Kentucky University shall
-coordinate to develop a report to be submitted to the Legislative Research Commission by January 1, 2027, for
-referral to the General Assembly. The report shall:
-(a) Describe and provide data on medically underserved areas and medically underserved populations by
-county on the:
-1. Shortage of primary and specialty care physicians;
-2. Lack of access to physician care; and
-3. Retention of physicians;
-(b) Provide an overview of:
-1. Current actions;
-2. Possibilities for building on current actions;
-3. Innovative actions that may be taken; and
-4. Regulatory or statutory barriers; and
-(c) Provide detailed actional solutions and a discussion of opportunities to exp and health care opportunities
-to address the physician shortages in medically underserved areas of Kentucky, including:
-1. Agencies that may be responsible for the actions;
-2. Resources needed to achieve the actions; and
-3. A suggested timeframe for achieving the solutions.
-Section 2.   (1) The General Assembly finds that Kentucky continues to face a persistent and growing
-shortage of physicians and other clinicians, resulting in insufficient workforce capacity and impacting access to
-health care across the state, and strategic action is necessary to expand access to care. Training models at universities
-across the country and Kentucky have demonstrated that physicians are more likely to remain in or return to the
-communities in which they trained to establ ish their practice, specifically in communities where primary academic
-training activities will occur and will evolve into a collaborative partnership with local and regional public and
-private higher education institutions and health care providers to deliver education and clinical training.
-(2) The General Assembly authorizes the University of Kentucky to develop a feasibility study to explore
-the persistent and growing shortage of physicians and other clinicians in collaboration with all health care work force
-partners in and around the Owensboro region to take advantage of HealthForce Kentucky.
-(3) The feasibility study may be provided to the General Assembly by December 1, 2026. Based upon the
-feasibility study, the General Assembly shall consider fundin g of up to $10,000,000 in the 2027 Regular Session to
-address the findings of the feasibility study.
-Signed by Governor April 17, 2026.
+KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY AMENDMENT FORM
+
+2026 REGULAR SESSION
+
+Amend printed copy of SJR 116/GA
+TITLE AMENDMENT
+
+Amendment No. TITLE  Rep. Rep. James Tipton
+
+Committee Amendment   Signed:
+
+Floor Amendment   LRC Drafter:
+
+Adopted:   Date:
+
+Rejected:   Doc. ID: XXXX
+
+Page 1 of 1
+  Amend title to read "A JOINT RESOLUTION directing the University of Kentucky, the
+University of Louisville, and Eastern Kentucky University to coordinate a search for actionable
+solutions to physician shortages and to explore and expand health care opportunities in medically
+underserved areas in collaboration with community, state agency, professional associations, and
+other stakeholders.".