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House Bill No. 5506

Public Act No. 22-118 106 of 739

be reimbursed for loan payments made while such person is employed full-time in the state as a health care provider. Persons may apply for loan reimbursement grants to the Office of Higher Education at such time and in such manner as the executive director prescribes. (c) The Office of Higher Education may accept gifts, grants and donations, from any source, public or private, for the health care provider loan reimbursement program. Sec. 80. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) The Department of Public Health shall establish a community gun violence intervention and prevention program to (1) fund and support the growth of evidence- informed, community-centric community violence and gun violence prevention and intervention programs in the state, (2) strengthen partnerships among the community, state and federal agencies involved in community violence prevention and intervention, (3) collect timely data on firearm-involved injuries and deaths and make such data publicly available, (4) evaluate effectiveness of violence intervention and prevention strategies implemented under the program, (5) determine community-level needs by engaging with communities impacted by gun violence, and (6) secure state, federal and other funds for the purposes of reducing community gun violence. (b) Not later than January 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, the Commissioner of Public Health shall submit a report to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, concerning the activities of the program during the preceding twelve-month period. Sec. 81. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a Commission on Community Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention to advise the Commissioner of Public Health on the development of evidence-based, evidenced-informed, community-centric gun