Maryland 2024 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB900 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5	sb0900
6	6
7	7	SENATE BILL 900
8	8	F2 4lr2725
9	9	CF 4lr2727
10	10	By: Senator Corderman
11	11	Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2024
12	12	Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
13	13
14	14	A BILL ENTITLED
15	15
16	16	AN ACT concerning 1
17	17
18	18	Higher Education – Janet L. Hoffman Loan Assistance Repayment Program – 2
19	19	Eligibility 3
20	20
21	21	FOR the purpose of expanding the eligibility for the Janet L. Hoffman Loan Assistance 4
22	22	Repayment Program to include individuals who received a certain degree from an 5
23	23	accredited veterinary school and provided veterinary services for a certain time 6
24	24	period at certain animal shelters; and generally relating to eligibility for the Janet 7
25	25	L. Hoffman Loan Assistance Repayment Program. 8
26	26
27	27	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
28	28	Article – Education 10
29	29	Section 18–1502 11
30	30	Annotated Code of Maryland 12
31	31	(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 13
32	32
33	33	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
34	34	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
35	35
36	36	Article – Education 16
37	37
38	38	18–1502. 17
39	39
40	40	(a) There is a program of loan assistance repayment known as the Janet L. 18
41	41	Hoffman Loan Assistance Repayment Program in the State. 19
42	42
43	43	(b) The Office of Student Financial Assistance shall assist in the repayment of 20
44	44	the amount of any higher education loan owed by an individual who: 21
45	45
46	46	(1) (i) Receives a graduate, professional, or undergraduate degree from: 22
47	47
48	48	1. A college or university in the State of Maryland; 23 2 SENATE BILL 900
49	49
50	50
51	51
52	52	2. A school of law; [or] 1
53	53
54	54	3. For a mental health professional, any accredited college or 2
55	55	university; or 3
56	56
57	57	4. FOR A VETERINAR Y PRACTITIONER , ANY 4
58	58	ACCREDITED VETERINAR Y COLLEGE OR UNIVERSIT Y; OR 5
59	59
60	60	(ii) Receives a Resident Teacher Certificate (RTC) from the 6
61	61	Department after completing an alternative teaching preparation program approved by the 7
62	62	State Superintendent; 8
63	63
64	64	(2) Obtains eligible employment; 9
65	65
66	66	(3) Receives an income that is less than the maximum eligible total income 10
67	67	levels established by the Office, including any additional sources of income; and 11
68	68
69	69	(4) Satisfies any other criteria established by the Office. 12
70	70
71	71	(c) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, the Office shall assist 13
72	72	in the repayment of the amount of any higher education loan owed by a: 14
73	73
74	74	(1) Public school teacher in the State who: 15
75	75
76	76	(i) Has taught in Maryland for at least 2 years: 16
77	77
78	78	1. In science, technology, engineering, fine arts, or math 17
79	79	subjects; 18
80	80
81	81	2. In a school in which at least the following percentages of 19
82	82	the students are enrolled in the free and reduced price lunch program in the State: 20
83	83
84	84	A. 75% through June 30, 2025; and 21
85	85
86	86	B. 55% beginning July 1, 2025; or 22
87	87
88	88	3. In a school that: 23
89	89
90	90	A. Had Title I status during the 2018–2019 school year; 24
91	91
92	92	B. Lost Title I status after the 2018–2019 school year; and 25
93	93
94	94	C. Participates in the United States Department of 26
95	95	Agriculture Community Eligibility Provision; and 27
96	96	SENATE BILL 900 3
97	97
98	98
99	99	(ii) Has received a performance evaluation rating for the most recent 1
100	100	year available in the county in which the teacher taught; [or] 2
101	101
102	102	(2) Mental health professional who has provided mental health services in 3
103	103	a public school for at least 2 years as an employee of: 4
104	104
105	105	(i) A county school system; or 5
106	106
107	107	(ii) A local health department through an agreement with a county 6
108	108	board; OR 7
109	109
110	110	(3) A VETERINARIAN PRACTIT IONER WHO HAS PROVIDED 8
111	111	VETERINARY SERVICES AS AN EMPLOYEE FOR A MINIM UM OF 20 HOURS PER WEEK 9
112	112	OR AS A VOLUNTEER FO R A MINIMUM OF 15 HOURS PER WEEK AT AN ANIMAL 10
113	113	SHELTER THAT IS OWNED BY : 11
114	114
115	115	(I) A LOCAL GOVERNMENT ; 12
116	116
117	117	(II) AN ORGANIZATION CONTR ACTED TO PERFORM ANI MAL 13
118	118	CONTROL SERVICES FOR A LOCAL GOVERNMENT ; OR 14
119	119
120	120	(III) AN ORGANIZATION THAT SHELTERS ANIMALS AND WAS A 15
121	121	RECIPIENT OF THE MARYLAND SPAY AND NEUTER GRANTS PROGRAM DURING THE 16
122	122	PRIOR YEAR. 17
123	123
124	124	(d) (1) A grant awarded under subsection (c) of this section shall be known as 18
125	125	the Nancy Grasmick Public School Professional Award. 19
126	126
127	127	(2) A recipient of a Nancy Grasmick Public School Professional Award shall 20
128	128	be known as a Nancy Grasmick Public School Professional Scholar. 21
129	129
130	130	(e) An applicant for assistance in the repayment of a commercial loan shall 22
131	131	demonstrate to the Office that the commercial loan was used for tuition, educational 23
132	132	expenses, or living expenses for graduate or undergraduate study. 24
133	133
134	134	(f) Assistance in the repayment of a loan from an entity set forth in § 25
135	135	18–1501(c)(2) of this subtitle shall require the approval of the Office. 26
136	136
137	137	(g) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, the Office shall assist 27
138	138	in the repayment of the amount of any higher education loan owed by a licensed clinical 28
139	139	alcohol and drug counselor, a licensed clinical marriage and family therapy counselor, or a 29
140	140	licensed clinical professional counselor whose practice is located in a high–need geographic 30
141	141	area of the State as determined by the Maryland Department of Health. 31
142	142
143	143	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 32
144	144	1, 2024. 33