Texas 2013 - 83rd Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB620 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Van de Putte S.B. No. 620
2	2	(Allen)
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 programs at public institutions of
10	10	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 II to read as follows:
14	14	SUBCHAPTER II. REPAYMENT OF CERTAIN SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
15	15	AND AUDIOLOGIST EDUCATION LOANS
16	16	Sec. 61.9811. 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:
20	20	(A) a graduate degree program in audiology or
21	21	speech-language pathology accredited by the Council on Academic
22	22	Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology; or
23	23	(B) an undergraduate degree program that
24	24	prepares and qualifies students for admission to a graduate degree
25	25	program described by Paragraph (A).
26	26	(3) "Public school" means a public preschool or
27	27	primary or secondary school in this state.
28	28	(4) "Speech-language pathologist" means a person
29	29	licensed as a speech-language pathologist under Chapter 401,
30	30	Occupations Code.
31	31	Sec. 61.9812. REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED. The board
32	32	shall provide, in accordance with this subchapter and board rules,
33	33	assistance in the repayment of student loans for speech-language
34	34	pathologists and audiologists who apply and qualify for assistance.
35	35	Sec. 61.9813. ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be eligible to receive
36	36	repayment assistance, a speech-language pathologist or an
37	37	audiologist must:
38	38	(1) apply to the board; and
39	39	(2) at the time the speech-language pathologist or
40	40	audiologist applies for the assistance:
41	41	(A) have been employed as a speech-language
42	42	pathologist or as an audiologist, as applicable, for at least one
43	43	year by, and be currently employed in that capacity by, a public
44	44	school; or
45	45	(B) have been employed as a faculty member of a
46	46	communicative disorders program at an institution of higher
47	47	education or private or independent institution of higher education
48	48	for at least one year, and be currently employed in that capacity at
49	49	such an institution.
50	50	(b) The board by rule may provide for repayment assistance
51	51	on a pro rata basis for speech-language pathologists and
52	52	audiologists employed part-time by a public school or institution
53	53	of higher education.
54	54	Sec. 61.9814. LIMITATION. (a) On qualifying for the
55	55	assistance, a speech-language pathologist or an audiologist may
56	56	receive repayment assistance grants for each year of employment,
57	57	not to exceed five years, by:
58	58	(1) a public school; or
59	59	(2) a communicative disorders program at an
60	60	institution of higher education or private or independent
61	61	institution of higher education.
62	62	(b) For each applicable year of employment described by
63	63	Subsection (a), 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:
66	66	(1) $6,000 for an eligible recipient who holds a
67	67	master's degree but not a doctoral degree; or
68	68	(2) $9,000 for an eligible recipient who holds a
69	69	doctoral degree.
70	70	Sec. 61.9815. ELIGIBLE LOANS. The board may provide
71	71	repayment assistance for the repayment of any student loan, as
72	72	defined by board rule, for education at any public or private
73	73	institution of higher education in or outside of this state
74	74	received by an eligible speech-language pathologist or
75	75	audiologist.
76	76	Sec. 61.9816. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any
77	77	repayment made under this subchapter in a lump sum payable to:
78	78	(1) the lender and the speech-language pathologist or
79	79	audiologist, in accordance with any applicable federal law; or
80	80	(2) the lender or other holder of the loan on behalf of
81	81	the speech-language pathologist or audiologist.
82	82	(b) A repayment made under this subchapter may be applied to
83	83	the principal amount and accrued interest of the loan.
84	84	Sec. 61.9817. ADVISORY COMMITTEES. The board may appoint
85	85	advisory committees to assist the board in administering this
86	86	subchapter.
87	87	Sec. 61.9818. PROGRAM FUNDING. The program may be funded
88	88	solely from gifts, grants, and donations solicited and accepted by
89	89	the board for the purposes of this subchapter.
90	90	Sec. 61.9819. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules
91	91	necessary for the administration of this subchapter.
92	92	(b) The board shall distribute a copy of the rules adopted
93	93	under this section and pertinent information regarding this
94	94	subchapter to:
95	95	(1) each appropriate institution of higher education
96	96	or private or independent 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, 2013.