81R2393 KJM-D
By: Driver H.B. No. 2937
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to higher education student loan repayment assistance for
peace officers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter II to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER II. PEACE OFFICER LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Sec. 61.9851. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "peace
officer" has the meaning assigned by Article 2.12, Code of Criminal
Procedure.
Sec. 61.9852. REPAYMENT AUTHORIZED. The board shall
establish and administer a program to provide, in accordance with
this subchapter and board rules, assistance in the repayment of
student loans for persons who are employed as peace officers by
state agencies or political subdivisions of this state and who
apply and qualify for the assistance.
Sec. 61.9853. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive
repayment assistance under this subchapter, a person must:
(1) apply to the board;
(2) be a resident of this state;
(3) at the time of application for repayment
assistance have been employed full-time for at least one year as,
and be currently employed full-time as, a peace officer by a state
agency or political subdivision of this state;
(4) have earned at least 60 hours of course credit at a
public or private or independent institution of higher education in
this state before becoming a peace officer; and
(5) comply with any additional requirement adopted by
board rule.
Sec. 61.9854. LIMITATIONS. (a) On qualifying for
repayment assistance under this subchapter, a person may receive
repayment assistance for each year of employment as a peace
officer, not to exceed five years.
(b) The amount of repayment assistance that a person may
receive for each year of employment as a peace officer may not
exceed 20 percent of the peace officer's total amount of eligible
loans as provided by Section 61.9855.
(c) The total amount of repayment assistance provided under
this subchapter to a person may not exceed $20,000.
(d) The total amount of repayment assistance provided under
this subchapter may not exceed the total amount of gifts and grants
accepted by the board for the repayment assistance, legislative
appropriations for the repayment assistance, and other funds
available to the board for the repayment assistance.
Sec. 61.9855. ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The board may provide
repayment assistance for the repayment of any student loan received
by an eligible person through any lender for the cost of attendance
at a public or private or independent institution of higher
education for a semester or other term that ended not earlier than
60 months before the date of the person initially becoming a peace
officer.
(b) The board may withhold repayment assistance for a
student loan that is in default at the time of the peace officer's
application.
(c) The board may not provide repayment assistance for the
repayment of a loan for the cost of attendance for credit hours a
person earns after becoming a peace officer.
Sec. 61.9856. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any
repayment under this subchapter in a lump sum payable to the lender
and the peace officer, in accordance with any applicable federal
law.
(b) A repayment under this subchapter may be applied to any
amount due in connection with the loan.
Sec. 61.9857. ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS. The board may solicit
and accept gifts and grants from any source for the purposes of this
subchapter.
Sec. 61.9858. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules as
necessary to administer this subchapter.
(b) The board shall distribute a copy of the rules adopted
under this section and pertinent information regarding this
subchapter to:
(1) each public and private or independent institution
of higher education in this state;
(2) any appropriate state agency; and
(3) any appropriate professional association.
SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
shall adopt the rules for repayment assistance under Subchapter II,
Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than
December 1, 2009.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.