H.B. No. 2396
AN ACT
relating to eliminating requirements that certain public
institutions of higher education set aside portions of tuition for
student loan repayment programs for certain physicians and state
attorneys.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 61.5391(a), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) The physician education loan repayment program account
is an account in the general revenue fund. The account is composed
of:
(1) gifts and grants contributed to the account;
(2) earnings on the principal of the account; and
(3) other amounts deposited to the credit of the
account, including:
(A) money deposited under Section [61.539(b) or]
61.5392;
(B) legislative appropriations; and
(C) money deposited under Section 155.2415, Tax
Code.
SECTION 2. Sections 61.9730 and 61.9732, Education Code,
are amended to read as follows:
Sec. 61.9730. TOTAL AMOUNT OF REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE. The
total amount of repayment assistance distributed by the board under
this subchapter may not exceed the total amount available for the
program under Section 61.9732 [of gifts, grants, and donations
accepted by the board for repayment assistance and tuition set
aside under Section 61.9731].
Sec. 61.9732. LIMITATIONS ON FUNDING. The loan repayment
program under this subchapter may be funded only from:
(1) gifts, grants, and donations accepted by the
board; [and]
(2) legislative appropriations for the program; and
(3) money budgeted for the program by the office of the
attorney general from appropriations made to that office [tuition
set aside under Section 61.9731].
SECTION 3. The following provisions of the Education Code
are repealed:
(1) Section 61.539; and
(2) Section 61.9731.
SECTION 4. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies
beginning with tuition charged for the 2015 fall semester.
(b) Tuition charged for any semester or other academic term
before the 2015 fall semester is covered by the applicable law as it
existed before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is
continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2396 was passed by the House on May 6,
2015, by the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 0, 2 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2396 was passed by the Senate on May
22, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor