SB 85, An Act Authorizing And Adjusting Bonds Of The State And Establishing A Supplemental Graduate Student Loan Program

TESTIMONY OF THE CONNECTICUT HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
SUBMITTED TO THE FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING COMMITTEE

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2026

The Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) appreciates this opportunity to submit testimony concerning SB 85, An Act Authorizing And Adjusting Bonds Of The State And Establishing A Supplemental Graduate Student Loan Program.  CHA supports the bill.

Connecticut hospitals make our state stronger by delivering nationally recognized, world-class care, supporting jobs and economic growth, and serving communities across Connecticut.  Every day, hospitals improve access, affordability, and health equity — providing care to all patients regardless of ability to pay.  At the same time, hospitals invest in their workforce and local communities, even as they navigate significant financial and federal challenges.

SB 85 supports the issuance of state bonds to fund the proposed Supplemental Graduate Student Loan Program to help ensure access and affordability for Connecticut graduate students who may be impacted by recent federal changes to student loan programs.  H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), enacted sweeping changes to federal graduate student lending, including lower annual and aggregate borrowing limits and the elimination of the Grad PLUS loan program.  As required by H.R. 1, the U.S. Department of Education has also proposed a new list of “professional” programs eligible for higher federal lending caps.  Notably, this federal proposal excludes several essential graduate-level degrees in healthcare and related social service professions.

CHA supports SB 85 as a necessary safeguard for Connecticut graduate students who may be harmed by these federal restrictions on borrowing for postgraduate education in healthcare and related social service fields. Graduate education is the gateway to many of the advanced practice clinician professions that expand access to care across Connecticut’s hospitals and communities.  Together, these federal actions threaten to place graduate education out of reach for many aspiring clinicians and caregivers, exacerbating existing healthcare workforce shortages, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

For individuals seeking advanced training, reduced borrowing limits could make graduate programs financially unattainable, limiting entry into critical roles such as nurse practitioners, physician assistants, social workers, and rehabilitation specialists, including physical, occupational, and speech therapists, the very professionals patients and families depend on every day.

Connecticut’s effort to strengthen graduate loan access through the funding of the Supplemental Graduate Student Loan Program through CHESLA represents a thoughtful and strategic response.  By helping to close emerging financial gaps, the state can protect educational pathways that are essential to growing and sustaining the healthcare workforce pipeline.  CHA is proud to support SB 85 and the state’s efforts to make critical investments in Connecticut’s healthcare workforce so hospitals can continue providing the high-quality care on which patients and communities across Connecticut rely.

Thank you for your consideration of our position.  For additional information, contact CHA Government Relations at (203) 294-7301.