(a) As used in subsections (a) to (e), inclusive, of this section:

(1) “Green technology” means technology that (A) promotes clean energy, renewable energy or energy efficiency, (B) reduces greenhouse gases or carbon emissions, or (C) involves the invention, design and application of chemical products and processes to eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances;

(2) “Life science” means the study of genes, cells, tissues and chemical and physical structures of living organisms and biomedical engineering and the manufacture of medical devices; and

(3) “Health information technology” means the creation, execution or implementation of electronic data systems that record or transmit medical or health information.

(b) There is established a Connecticut green technology, life science and health information technology loan reimbursement program to be administered by the Office of Higher Education.

(c) A Connecticut resident who graduated on or after May 1, 2010, from an institution of higher education in this state with a bachelor’s degree in a field relating to green technology, life science or health information technology and who has been employed in this state for at least two years after graduation by a business in the field of green technology, life science or health information technology and whose federal adjusted gross income for the year prior to the initial reimbursement year does not exceed one hundred fifty thousand dollars shall be eligible for reimbursement of federal or state educational loans up to a maximum of two thousand five hundred dollars per year or five per cent of the amount of such loans per year, whichever is less, for up to four years.

(d) A Connecticut resident who graduated on or after May 1, 2010, from an institution of higher education in this state with an associate degree relating to green technology, life science or health information technology and who has been employed in this state for at least two years after graduation by a business in the field of green technology, life science or health information technology and whose federal adjusted gross income for the year prior to the initial reimbursement year does not exceed one hundred fifty thousand dollars shall be eligible for reimbursement of federal or state educational loans up to a maximum of two thousand five hundred dollars per year or five per cent of the amount of such loans per year, whichever is less, for up to two years.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (c) and (d) of this section, the total combined dollar value of loan reimbursements available under this and any other provision of the general statutes shall not exceed five thousand dollars per recipient of an associate degree and ten thousand dollars per recipient of a bachelor’s degree.

(f) The Office of Higher Education may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to carry out the provisions of subsections (a) to (e), inclusive, of this section.

(P.A. 10-75, S. 1, 3; P.A. 11-48, S. 285; 11-140, S. 1; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-2, S. 55; P.A. 17-63, S. 4.)

History: P.A. 10-75 effective May 6, 2010; pursuant to P.A. 11-48, “Board of Governors of Higher Education” and “Department of Higher Education” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “Board of Regents for Higher Education”, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-140 amended Subsec. (a) to delete former Subdiv. (2) re definition of “job relating to green technology”, redesignate existing Subdivs. (3) and (4) as Subdivs. (2) and (3) and add biomedical engineering and manufacture of medical devices to definition of “life science”, amended Subsecs. (c) and (d) to change eligibility requirements from a job relating to green technology to being employed by a business in the field of green technology and from an expected family contribution on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid of $35,000 or less to a federal adjusted gross income for the prior year of $150,000 or less, deleted former Subsec. (e) re grants for training certificates, and redesignated existing Subsecs. (f) and (g) as Subsecs. (e) and (f), effective July 8, 2011; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-2 made technical changes in Subsecs. (c) and (e); P.A. 17-63 amended Subsecs. (b) and (f) by replacing “Board of Regents for Higher Education” with “Office of Higher Education”, effective June 30, 2017.