25 LC 52 0601
House Bill 88
By: Representatives Barnes of the 86
th
, Drenner of the 85
th
, Clark of the 108
th
, Frye of the
122
nd
, Burnough of the 77
th
, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 6A of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
1
Annotated, relating to state veterinary education, so as to provide for biomedical technicians2
to be eligible for the state student loan forgiveness program; to provide for a definition; to3
provide for conditions and eligibility; to provide for terms of the loan purchase agreement;4
to provide for cancellation; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for5
other purposes.6
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:7
SECTION 1.8
Part 6A of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,9
relating to state veterinary education, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as10
follows:11
"20-3-518.8.
12
(a) As used in this Code section, the term 'biomedical technician' means a technician13
trained in biomedical sciences, an animal care technician or a veterinary technician who14
works in a biomedical research facility, is a resident of Georgia, and is enrolled in or within15
five years of final coursework for such profession.16
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(b) The board may provide for the purchase of loans for educational purposes made to a17
biomedical technician who is authorized to work in this state, with services in the form of18
the practice of his or her profession in a board approved rural county in Georgia with a19
population of 50,000 or less according to the United States decennial census of 2020 or any20
future such census to be rendered as consideration for such loan purchases.21
(c) Persons whose applications are approved and who enter into a loan purchase agreement22
with the board shall receive a loan purchase in a total amount to be determined by the23
board, but not exceeding $30,000.00 per person. No person shall be eligible to receive24
such award more than once during his or her lifetime. The loan purchases shall be paid in25
such manner as the board shall determine.26
(d) The board shall not enter into new loan purchase agreements with more than five27
persons per year; provided, however, that the total sum of loan purchases from state28
appropriations for which the board contractually obligates itself in any fiscal year shall not29
exceed the amount of funds for such loan purchase purposes specified in annual30
appropriations Acts. Funds in the loan purchase fund account that are not expended or31
contractually obligated by the board for loan purchases during any fiscal year shall lapse.32
(e) Each applicant, before being granted a loan purchase, shall enter into a loan purchase33
agreement with the board agreeing to the terms and conditions upon which the loan34
purchase is granted, including such terms and conditions as will carry out the full purpose35
and intent of this part. The form of such agreement shall be prepared and approved by the36
Attorney General, and each agreement shall be signed by the chairperson of the board and37
by the applicant.38
(f) The board shall have the authority to cancel the loan purchase agreement of any39
applicant at any time for any cause deemed sufficient by the board, provided that such40
authority shall not be arbitrarily or unreasonably exercised."41
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SECTION 2.
42
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.43
H. B. 88
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