Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB3576 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R6676 KEL-F
2	2	By: Christian H.B. No. 3576
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to student loan repayment assistance for speech-language
8	8	pathologists or audiologists employed by a public school or as
9	9	faculty members of certain graduate programs at public institutions
10	10	of higher education.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
13	13	Subchapter FF to read as follows:
14	14	SUBCHAPTER FF. REPAYMENT OF CERTAIN SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
15	15	AND AUDIOLOGIST EDUCATION LOANS
16	16	Sec. 61.9801. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
17	17	(1) "Audiologist" means a person licensed as an
18	18	audiologist under Chapter 401, Occupations Code.
19	19	(2) "Communicative disorders program" means a
20	20	graduate degree program in audiology or speech-language pathology
21	21	accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology
22	22	and Speech-Language Pathology.
23	23	(3) "Public school" means a public preschool or
24	24	primary or secondary school in this state.
25	25	(4) "Speech-language pathologist" means a person
26	26	licensed as a speech-language pathologist under Chapter 401,
27	27	Occupations Code.
28	28	Sec. 61.9802. REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED. The board
29	29	shall provide, in accordance with this subchapter and board rules,
30	30	assistance in the repayment of student loans for speech-language
31	31	pathologists and audiologists who apply and qualify for assistance.
32	32	Sec. 61.9803. ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be eligible to receive
33	33	repayment assistance, a speech-language pathologist or an
34	34	audiologist must:
35	35	(1) apply to the board; and
36	36	(2) at the time the speech-language pathologist or
37	37	audiologist applies for the assistance:
38	38	(A) have been employed as a speech-language
39	39	pathologist or as an audiologist, as applicable, for at least one
40	40	year by, and be currently employed full-time in that capacity by, a
41	41	public school; or
42	42	(B) have been employed as a faculty member of a
43	43	communicative disorders program at an institution of higher
44	44	education for at least one year, and be currently employed
45	45	full-time in that capacity at such an institution.
46	46	(b) The board by rule may provide for repayment assistance
47	47	on a pro rata basis for speech-language pathologists and
48	48	audiologists employed part-time by a public school or institution
49	49	of higher education.
50	50	Sec. 61.9804. LIMITATION. (a) On qualifying for the
51	51	assistance, a speech-language pathologist or an audiologist may
52	52	receive repayment assistance grants for each year of employment,
53	53	not to exceed five years, by:
54	54	(1) a public school; or
55	55	(2) a communicative disorders program at an
56	56	institution of higher education.
57	57	(b) The amount of repayment assistance grants that a
58	58	speech-language pathologist or an audiologist may receive for each
59	59	year of employment by a public school or a communicative disorders
60	60	program at an institution of higher education may not exceed 20
61	61	percent of the speech-language pathologist's or audiologist's total
62	62	principal amount of student loans.
63	63	(c) The total amount of repayment assistance grants
64	64	received by a speech-language pathologist or an audiologist under
65	65	this subchapter may not exceed $30,000 for an eligible recipient
66	66	who holds a master's degree but not a doctoral degree, or $45,000
67	67	for an eligible recipient who holds a doctoral degree.
68	68	Sec. 61.9805. ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The board may provide
69	69	repayment assistance for the repayment of any student loan for
70	70	education at an institution of higher education, including loans
71	71	for undergraduate education, received by a speech-language
72	72	pathologist or an audiologist through any lender.
73	73	(b) The board may not provide repayment assistance for a
74	74	student loan that is in default at the time of the speech-language
75	75	pathologist's or audiologist's application.
76	76	(c) Each state fiscal biennium, the board shall attempt to
77	77	provide repayment assistance in amounts sufficient to use all the
78	78	money appropriated to the board for that biennium for the purpose of
79	79	providing repayment assistance under this subchapter.
80	80	Sec. 61.9806. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any
81	81	repayment made under this subchapter in a lump sum payable to the
82	82	lender and the speech-language pathologist or audiologist, in
83	83	accordance with any applicable federal law.
84	84	(b) A repayment made under this subchapter may be applied
85	85	only to the principal amount of the loan.
86	86	Sec. 61.9807. ADVISORY COMMITTEES. The board may appoint
87	87	advisory committees to assist the board in administering this
88	88	subchapter.
89	89	Sec. 61.9808. ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS. The board may accept
90	90	gifts, grants, and donations for the purposes of this subchapter.
91	91	Sec. 61.9809. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules
92	92	necessary for the administration of this subchapter.
93	93	(b) The board shall distribute a copy of the rules adopted
94	94	under this section and pertinent information regarding this
95	95	subchapter to:
96	96	(1) each institution of higher education;
97	97	(2) any appropriate state agency; and
98	98	(3) any appropriate professional association.
99	99	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.