Texas 2013 - 83rd Regular

Texas House Bill HB1073 Compare Versions

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1	1	83R21134 AED-D
2	2	By: Allen H.B. No. 1073
3	3	Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1073:
4	4	By: Branch C.S.H.B. No. 1073
5	5
6	6
7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to student loan repayment assistance for speech-language
10	10	pathologists or audiologists employed by a public school or as
11	11	faculty members of certain graduate programs at public institutions
12	12	of higher education.
13	13	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
14	14	SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
15	15	Subchapter II to read as follows:
16	16	SUBCHAPTER II. REPAYMENT OF CERTAIN SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
17	17	AND AUDIOLOGIST EDUCATION LOANS
18	18	Sec. 61.9811. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
19	19	(1) "Audiologist" means a person licensed as an
20	20	audiologist under Chapter 401, Occupations Code.
21	21	(2) "Communicative disorders program" means:
22	22	(A) a graduate degree program in audiology or
23	23	speech-language pathology accredited by the Council on Academic
24	24	Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology; or
25	25	(B) an undergraduate degree program that
26	26	prepares and qualifies students for admission to a graduate degree
27	27	program described by Paragraph (A).
28	28	(3) "Public school" means a public preschool or
29	29	primary or secondary school in this state.
30	30	(4) "Speech-language pathologist" means a person
31	31	licensed as a speech-language pathologist under Chapter 401,
32	32	Occupations Code.
33	33	Sec. 61.9812. REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED. The board
34	34	shall provide, in accordance with this subchapter and board rules,
35	35	assistance in the repayment of student loans for speech-language
36	36	pathologists and audiologists who apply and qualify for assistance.
37	37	Sec. 61.9813. ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be eligible to receive
38	38	repayment assistance, a speech-language pathologist or an
39	39	audiologist must:
40	40	(1) apply to the board; and
41	41	(2) at the time the speech-language pathologist or
42	42	audiologist applies for the assistance:
43	43	(A) have been employed as a speech-language
44	44	pathologist or as an audiologist, as applicable, for at least one
45	45	year by, and be currently employed in that capacity by, a public
46	46	school; or
47	47	(B) have been employed as a faculty member of a
48	48	communicative disorders program at an institution of higher
49	49	education or private or independent institution of higher education
50	50	for at least one year, and be currently employed in that capacity at
51	51	such an institution.
52	52	(b) The board by rule may provide for repayment assistance
53	53	on a pro rata basis for speech-language pathologists and
54	54	audiologists employed part-time by a public school or institution
55	55	of higher education.
56	56	Sec. 61.9814. LIMITATION. (a) On qualifying for the
57	57	assistance, a speech-language pathologist or an audiologist may
58	58	receive repayment assistance grants for each year of employment,
59	59	not to exceed five years, by:
60	60	(1) a public school; or
61	61	(2) a communicative disorders program at an
62	62	institution of higher education or private or independent
63	63	institution of higher education.
64	64	(b) For each applicable year of employment described by
65	65	Subsection (a), the total amount of repayment assistance grants
66	66	received by a speech-language pathologist or an audiologist under
67	67	this subchapter may not exceed:
68	68	(1) $6,000 for an eligible recipient who holds a
69	69	master's degree but not a doctoral degree; or
70	70	(2) $9,000 for an eligible recipient who holds a
71	71	doctoral degree.
72	72	Sec. 61.9815. ELIGIBLE LOANS. The board may provide
73	73	repayment assistance for the repayment of any student loan, as
74	74	defined by board rule, for education at any public or private
75	75	institution of higher education in or outside of this state
76	76	received by an eligible speech-language pathologist or
77	77	audiologist.
78	78	Sec. 61.9816. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any
79	79	repayment made under this subchapter in a lump sum payable to:
80	80	(1) the lender and the speech-language pathologist or
81	81	audiologist, in accordance with any applicable federal law; or
82	82	(2) the lender or other holder of the loan on behalf of
83	83	the speech-language pathologist or audiologist.
84	84	(b) A repayment made under this subchapter may be applied to
85	85	the principal amount and accrued interest of the loan.
86	86	Sec. 61.9817. ADVISORY COMMITTEES. The board may appoint
87	87	advisory committees to assist the board in administering this
88	88	subchapter.
89	89	Sec. 61.9818. PROGRAM FUNDING. The program may be funded
90	90	solely from gifts, grants, and donations solicited and accepted by
91	91	the board for the purposes of this subchapter.
92	92	Sec. 61.9819. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules
93	93	necessary for the administration of this subchapter.
94	94	(b) The board shall distribute a copy of the rules adopted
95	95	under this section and pertinent information regarding this
96	96	subchapter to:
97	97	(1) each appropriate institution of higher education
98	98	or private or independent institution of higher education;
99	99	(2) any appropriate state agency; and
100	100	(3) any appropriate professional association.
101	101	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.