Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB4181 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R4721 SJM-D
2	2	By: Guillen H.B. No. 4181
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to student loan repayment assistance for certain
8	8	professionals employed by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
11	11	Subchapter GG to read as follows:
12	12	SUBCHAPTER GG. LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN PROFESSIONAL
13	13	EMPLOYEES OF TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE
14	14	Sec. 61.9801. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
15	15	(1) "Department" means the Texas Department of
16	16	Criminal Justice.
17	17	(2) "Eligible profession" means the profession of
18	18	social work or psychology or another profession designated by the
19	19	department because members of that profession are qualified to
20	20	offer services for which the department has determined a need
21	21	exists in the department's workforce.
22	22	(3) "Eligible professional" means a person who holds
23	23	an appropriate license or certification required to practice an
24	24	eligible profession.
25	25	Sec. 61.9802. REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED. The board
26	26	shall provide, in accordance with this subchapter and board rules,
27	27	assistance in the repayment of student loans for eligible
28	28	professionals who apply and qualify for assistance.
29	29	Sec. 61.9803. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive
30	30	repayment assistance, an eligible professional must:
31	31	(1) apply to the board;
32	32	(2) at the time the eligible professional applies for
33	33	the assistance, have been employed in the profession on which the
34	34	professional's eligibility is based for at least one year by the
35	35	department and be currently employed full-time in that profession
36	36	by the department; and
37	37	(3) comply with any other requirements adopted by
38	38	board rule under this subchapter.
39	39	Sec. 61.9804. LIMITATION. (a) On qualifying for the
40	40	assistance, an eligible professional may receive repayment
41	41	assistance grants for each year of employment by the department,
42	42	not to exceed five years.
43	43	(b) The amount of repayment assistance grants that an
44	44	eligible professional may receive for each year of employment by
45	45	the department may not exceed 20 percent of the eligible
46	46	professional's total outstanding principal amount of student loans
47	47	as of the time the person initially applies for the assistance.
48	48	Sec. 61.9805. DESIGNATION OF ELIGIBLE PROFESSION. The
49	49	department shall notify the board, in the time and manner specified
50	50	by the board, of any profession the department designates as an
51	51	eligible profession for purposes of this subchapter.
52	52	Sec. 61.9806. ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The board may provide
53	53	repayment assistance for the repayment of any student loan for
54	54	education at an institution of higher education, including loans
55	55	for undergraduate education, received by an eligible professional
56	56	through any lender.
57	57	(b) The board may not provide repayment assistance for a
58	58	student loan that is in default at the time of the eligible
59	59	professional's application.
60	60	(c) Each state fiscal biennium, the board shall attempt to
61	61	provide repayment assistance in amounts sufficient to use all the
62	62	money appropriated to the board for that biennium for the purpose of
63	63	providing repayment assistance under this subchapter.
64	64	Sec. 61.9807. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any
65	65	repayment made under this subchapter in a lump sum payable to the
66	66	lender or holder of the loan and the eligible professional, or may
67	67	deliver the repayment directly to the lender or loan holder on
68	68	behalf of the eligible professional, in accordance with any
69	69	applicable federal law.
70	70	(b) A repayment made under this subchapter may be applied to
71	71	the principal amount of the loan and to any interest that becomes
72	72	due on the loan.
73	73	Sec. 61.9808. ADVISORY COMMITTEES. The board may appoint
74	74	advisory committees to assist the board in administering this
75	75	subchapter.
76	76	Sec. 61.9809. ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS. The board may accept
77	77	gifts, grants, and donations for the purposes of this subchapter.
78	78	Sec. 61.9810. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules
79	79	necessary for the administration of this subchapter.
80	80	(b) The board shall distribute a copy of the rules adopted
81	81	under this section and pertinent information regarding this
82	82	subchapter to:
83	83	(1) each institution of higher education;
84	84	(2) the department; and
85	85	(3) any appropriate professional association.
86	86	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.