Texas 2011 - 82nd Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB145 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Hinojosa S.B. No. 145
2	2	(Alonzo)
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to student loan repayment assistance for nurses employed
8	8	as faculty members at certain institutions of higher education.
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. NURSING FACULTY LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
13	13	Sec. 61.9781. REPAYMENT AUTHORIZED. The board shall
14	14	establish and administer a program to provide, in accordance with
15	15	this subchapter and board rules, assistance in the repayment of
16	16	student loans for nurses who:
17	17	(1) are serving on the faculties of nursing degree
18	18	programs at institutions of higher education or private or
19	19	independent institutions of higher education in positions that
20	20	require an advanced degree in professional nursing; and
21	21	(2) apply and qualify for the assistance.
22	22	Sec. 61.9782. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive loan
23	23	repayment assistance under this subchapter, a nurse must:
24	24	(1) apply to the board;
25	25	(2) at the time of application for repayment
26	26	assistance have been employed full-time for at least one year as,
27	27	and be currently employed full-time as, a faculty member of a
28	28	nursing degree program at an institution of higher education or a
29	29	private or independent institution of higher education; and
30	30	(3) comply with any additional requirements adopted by
31	31	board rule.
32	32	Sec. 61.9783. LIMITATIONS. (a) On qualifying for loan
33	33	repayment assistance under this subchapter, a nurse may receive
34	34	repayment assistance for each year of full-time employment as a
35	35	faculty member of a nursing degree program at an institution of
36	36	higher education or private or independent institution of higher
37	37	education, not to exceed five years.
38	38	(b) The amount of loan repayment assistance received by a
39	39	nurse under this subchapter may not exceed $5,000 in any one year.
40	40	(c) The total amount of loan repayment assistance provided
41	41	under this subchapter may not exceed the total amount of gifts and
42	42	grants accepted by the board for the repayment assistance,
43	43	legislative appropriations for the repayment assistance, and other
44	44	funds available to the board for the repayment assistance,
45	45	including any money reallocated under Section 61.9786.
46	46	Sec. 61.9784. ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The board may provide
47	47	repayment assistance for the repayment of any student loan for
48	48	education at any public or private institution of higher education,
49	49	including a loan for undergraduate education, received by an
50	50	eligible person through any lender.
51	51	(b) The board may not provide repayment assistance for a
52	52	student loan that is in default at the time of the nurse's
53	53	application.
54	54	Sec. 61.9785. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any
55	55	repayment under this subchapter in a lump sum:
56	56	(1) payable to both the lender or other holder of the
57	57	loan and the nurse; or
58	58	(2) directly to the lender or other holder of the loan
59	59	on the nurse's behalf.
60	60	(b) A repayment under this subchapter may be applied to any
61	61	amount due in connection with the loan.
62	62	Sec. 61.9786. REALLOCATION OF MONEY. (a) In each state
63	63	fiscal year, the board shall reallocate for loan repayment
64	64	assistance under this subchapter for a particular year any money in
65	65	the physician education loan repayment program account established
66	66	under Section 61.5391 that exceeds the amount necessary in that
67	67	fiscal year for purposes of repayment assistance under Subchapter
68	68	J.
69	69	(b) Each year money reallocated under this section may be
70	70	used to fund loan repayment assistance for not more than 50 eligible
71	71	applicants.
72	72	(c) Any money reallocated under Subsection (a) in a fiscal
73	73	year that is not used for loan repayment assistance under this
74	74	subchapter in that fiscal year is treated as if that unused amount
75	75	had not been reallocated in that fiscal year.
76	76	Sec. 61.9787. SOLICITATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS. The
77	77	board may solicit and accept gifts and grants from any source for
78	78	the purposes of this subchapter.
79	79	Sec. 61.9788. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules as
80	80	necessary to administer this subchapter.
81	81	(b) The board shall distribute a copy of the rules adopted
82	82	under this section and pertinent information regarding this
83	83	subchapter to:
84	84	(1) each institution of higher education and private
85	85	or independent institution of higher education;
86	86	(2) any appropriate state agency; and
87	87	(3) any appropriate professional association.
88	88	SECTION 2. Subsection (b), Section 61.5391, Education Code,
89	89	is amended to read as follows:
90	90	(b) Money in the account may not be appropriated for any
91	91	purpose except:
92	92	(1) to provide loan repayment assistance to eligible
93	93	physicians under this subchapter; or
94	94	(2) to provide loan repayment assistance under
95	95	Subchapter GG if reallocated under Section 61.9786.
96	96	SECTION 3. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
97	97	shall adopt the rules for loan repayment assistance under
98	98	Subchapter GG, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, not
99	99	later than December 1, 2011.
100	100	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
101	101	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
102	102	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
103	103	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
104	104	Act takes effect September 1, 2011.