By: Hinojosa, et al. (Senate Sponsor - West) H.B. No. 2750
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 1, 2017;
May 18, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on Business
and Commerce; May 21, 2017, rereferred to Committee on
Intergovernmental Relations; May 22, 2017, reported favorably by
the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 22, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to requiring a public employer to give notice to new
employees of the ability of certain employees to participate in the
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 6, Government Code, is amended
by adding Chapter 620 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 620. NOTICE OF PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM
Sec. 620.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "public
employer" means:
(1) a county, a municipality, or another political
subdivision of this state, including a school district; or
(2) a board, a commission, an office, a department, or
another agency in the executive, judicial, or legislative branch of
state government, including an institution of higher education.
Sec. 620.002. NOTICE OF PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS
PROGRAM. Not later than the 30th day after the date on which an
employee begins employment with a public employer, the employer
shall provide written notice to the employee of the ability of
eligible employees of the employer to participate in the Public
Service Loan Forgiveness Program administered by the United States
Department of Education. A public employer may deliver a written
notice under this section to an employee by hand delivery, mail,
e-mail, or other form of electronic communication commonly used by
the employer to communicate with employees.
SECTION 2. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
section, Chapter 620, Government Code, as added by this Act,
applies to an employee who begins employment on or after the
effective date of this Act.
(b) A public employer, as defined by Section 620.001,
Government Code, as added by this Act, shall provide the written
notice described by Section 620.002, Government Code, as added by
this Act, to an employee employed by the employer on the effective
date of this Act not later than September 11, 2017.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
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