(a) The Legislature finds and declares that it is in the best interest of the State of California to provide persons who are not lawfully present in the United States with the state benefits provided by those programs listed in subdivision (d), and therefore, enacts this section pursuant to Section 1621(d) of Title 8 of the United States Code.

(b) A program listed in subdivision (d) shall not deny an application based on the citizenship status or immigration status of the applicant.

(c) For any program listed in subdivision (d), when mandatory disclosure of a social security number is required, an applicant shall provide his or her social security number, if one has been issued, or an individual tax identification number that has been or will be submitted.

(d) This section applies to all of the following:

(1) Programs supported through the Health Professions Education Fund pursuant to Section 128355.

(2) The Registered Nurse Education Fund created pursuant to Section 128400.

(3) The Mental Health Practitioner Education Fund created pursuant to Section 128458.

(4) The Vocational Nurse Education Fund created pursuant to Section 128500.

(5) The Medically Underserved Account for Physicians created pursuant to Section 128555.

(6) Loan forgiveness and scholarship programs created pursuant to Part 3.1 (commencing with Section 5820) of Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(7) The Song-Brown Health Care Workforce Training Act created pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 128200) of Chapter 4.

(8) To the extent permitted under federal law, the program administered by the office pursuant to the federal National Health Service Corps State Loan Repayment Program (42 U.S.C. Sec. 254q-1), commonly known as the California State Loan Repayment Program.

(9) The programs administered by the office pursuant to the Health Professions Career Opportunity Program (Section 127885), commonly known as the Mini Grants Program, and California’s Student/Resident Experiences and Rotations in Community Health, commonly known as the CalSEARCH program.

(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 561, Sec. 136. (AB 1516) Effective January 1, 2018.)