103 STAT. 2068 PUBLIC LAW 101-237—DEC. 18, 1989 "(A) the leave transfer program shall provide the same or similar requirements and conditions as are provided for the program established by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management under subchapter III of chapter 63 of title 5; and "(B) any leave bank program established pursuant to para- graph (1) of this subsection shall be consistent with the require- ments and conditions provided for agency leave bank programs in subchapter IV of such chapter. "(3) Participation by a health-care professional in the leave trans- fer program established pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, and in any leave bank program established pursuant to such para- graph, shall be voluntary. The Secretary may not require any health-care professional to participate in such a program. "(4)(A) The Secretary and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management may enter into an agreement that permits health-care professionals referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection to participate in the leave transfer program established by the Direc- tor of the Office of Personnel Management under subchapter III of chapter 63 of title 5 or in any leave bank program established for other employees of the Department pursuant to subchapter IV of chapter 63 of title 5, or both. "(B) Participation of such health-care professionals in a leave transfer progrgim or a leave bank program pursuant to an agree- ment entered into under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall be subject to such requirements and conditions as may be prescribed in such agreement. "(5) The Secretary is not required to establish a leave transfer program for any personnel permitted to participate in a leave transfer program pursuant to an agreement referred to in para- graph (4) of this subsection.". 38 USC 4108 (b) IMPLEMENTATION.— (1) The Secretary shall implement the pro- no^- grams provided for in subsection (e) of section 4108 of title 38, United States Code (as added by subsection (a) of this section), not later than October 1, 1990. 5 USC 6302 note. (2) The authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs under section 618 of the Treasury, Postal Service and General Government Appropriations Act, 1989, to operate a leave-transfer program for employees subject to section 4108 of title 38, United States Code, is extended until the programs provided for in subsection (e) of such \ section 4108 (as added by subsection (a) of this section) are imple- mented, but not later than October 1, 1990. SEC. 207. HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS. (a) APPLICANT PRIORITY AND EQUITABLE ALLOCATION FOR NURSING DEGREE APPLICANTS.— Section 4312(b)(5) is amended to read as follows: "(5) In selecting applicants for the Scholarship Program, the Secretary— "(A) shall give priority to applicants who will be entering their final year in a course of training; and "(B) shall ensure an equitable allocation of scholarships to persons enrolled in the second year of a program leading to an associate degree in nursing.". 38 USC 4312 (b) IMPLEMENTATION REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans ^°^- Affairs shall provide for the implementation of the amendment made by subsection (a) beginning with scholarships awarded under section 4312 of title 38, United States Code, during 1990.
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