HB403--LARGEANIMALVETERINARYSTUDENTLOANPROGRAM
SPONSOR: Haden
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPass"bytheStandingCommitteeon
RuralCommunityDevelopmentbyavoteof8to0.
Thisbillrenamesthe"Dr.MerrillTownleyLargeAnimalVeterinary
StudentLoanProgram"tothe"Dr.MerrillTownleyandDanBrown
LargeAnimalVeterinaryStudentLoanProgram".
ThisbillexpandsthesourcesoffundingfortheVeterinaryStudent
LoanPaymentFundtoincludeanyprivategrant,gift,donation,
devise,orbequestofmoneys,funds,realorpersonalproperty,or
otherasset.
Thisbillincreasesthenumberofqualifiedapplicantswhomaybe
awardedloansundertheLargeAnimalVeterinaryStudentLoan
Programfromsixto12peracademicyearandprovidesthatthe
DepartmentofAgriculturemayincreasethisnumberbeyond12ifthe
amountofanyadditionalmoneysfromprivategrants,gifts,
donations,devises,orbequestsofmoneys,funds,realorpersonal
property,orotherassetsdepositedintheFundallowsthefull
fundingofsuchincreaseinthenumberofapplicants. Further,the
loanamounteachstudentmayreceiveisincreasedfrom$20,000to
$30,000foreachacademicyear,andfrom$80,000to$120,000in
total.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatsincetheinceptionofthe
program,Missourihasawardedscholarshipsto38veterinary
medicinestudentsandmorethan85%ofrecipientsarestillserving
inruralareasofthestate.Lastyear,21studentsappliedfor
thesixscholarshipsavailable. Thisbillwouldprovidefinancial
supportforatleastanadditionalsixveterinarymedicine
students,whichwouldhelpthelivestockindustryinthisstateby
increasingthenumberofstudentswhospecializelargeanimal
medicineandreturntoruralMissouri.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Haden;Bron
Jacobs,AssociatedStudentsofTheUniversityofMissouri;Cody
Secrest,DVM;DavinAlthoff,MissouriFarmBureau;LindaHickam,
DVM,MissouriVeterinaryMedicalAssociation;andMissouri
Cattleman'sAssociation.
OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee. Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.