Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1892 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	86R9513 MM-F
2	2	By: Taylor S.B. No. 1892
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to student loan repayment assistance for school counselors
8	8	employed by a school district.
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 LL to read as follows:
12	12	SUBCHAPTER LL. REPAYMENT OF CERTAIN SCHOOL COUNSELOR EDUCATION
13	13	LOANS
14	14	Sec. 61.9851. LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED. The
15	15	board shall provide, in accordance with this subchapter and board
16	16	rules, assistance in the repayment of eligible student loans for
17	17	eligible school counselors who apply and qualify for the
18	18	assistance.
19	19	Sec. 61.9852. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive loan
20	20	repayment assistance under this subchapter, a school counselor
21	21	must:
22	22	(1) apply annually for the repayment assistance in a
23	23	manner prescribed by the board;
24	24	(2) be a United States citizen or permanent resident
25	25	alien;
26	26	(3) have earned at least a master's degree related to
27	27	counseling from any public or accredited private institution of
28	28	higher education;
29	29	(4) be certified as a school counselor under
30	30	Subchapter B, Chapter 21; and
31	31	(5) have completed one, two, three, four, or five
32	32	years of consecutive employment by a school district in this state:
33	33	(A) all or part of which is located in a federally
34	34	designated mental health care health professional shortage area; or
35	35	(B) at a school that receives federal funding
36	36	under Title I, Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
37	37	U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.).
38	38	Sec. 61.9853. LIMITATIONS. A school counselor may receive
39	39	loan repayment assistance under this subchapter for not more than
40	40	five years.
41	41	Sec. 61.9854. ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The board may provide
42	42	loan repayment assistance under this subchapter for the repayment
43	43	of any student loan for education at an institution of higher
44	44	education, a private or independent institution of higher
45	45	education, or a public or private out-of-state institution of
46	46	higher education accredited by a recognized accrediting agency,
47	47	including loans for undergraduate education, received by an
48	48	eligible person through any lender.
49	49	(b) The board may not provide repayment assistance for a
50	50	student loan that is in default at the time of the person's
51	51	application.
52	52	(c) In each state fiscal biennium, the board shall attempt
53	53	to allocate all funds appropriated to the board for the purpose of
54	54	providing loan repayment assistance under this subchapter.
55	55	Sec. 61.9855. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any
56	56	repayment under this subchapter in a lump sum payable:
57	57	(1) to both the lender or other holder of the loan and
58	58	the school counselor; or
59	59	(2) directly to the lender or other holder of the loan
60	60	on the school counselor's behalf.
61	61	(b) A repayment under this subchapter may be applied to any
62	62	amount due in connection with the loan.
63	63	Sec. 61.9856. AMOUNT OF REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE. (a) A school
64	64	counselor may receive loan repayment assistance under this
65	65	subchapter for each year the school counselor establishes
66	66	eligibility for the assistance in an amount determined by applying
67	67	the following applicable percentage to the maximum total amount of
68	68	assistance allowed for the school counselor under Subsection (b):
69	69	(1) for the first year, 10 percent;
70	70	(2) for the second year, 15 percent;
71	71	(3) for the third year, 20 percent;
72	72	(4) for the fourth year, 25 percent; and
73	73	(5) for the fifth year, 30 percent.
74	74	(b) The total amount of repayment assistance received by a
75	75	school counselor under this subchapter may not exceed:
76	76	(1) $80,000, for assistance received by a school
77	77	counselor who holds a doctoral degree related to counseling; and
78	78	(2) $40,000, for assistance received by a school
79	79	counselor who holds a master's degree related to counseling.
80	80	(c) The total amount of loan repayment assistance provided
81	81	under this subchapter may not exceed the sum of:
82	82	(1) the total amount of gifts and grants accepted by
83	83	the board for the repayment assistance;
84	84	(2) legislative appropriations for the repayment
85	85	assistance; and
86	86	(3) other funds available to the board for the
87	87	repayment assistance.
88	88	(d) The board may adjust in an equitable manner the
89	89	distribution amounts that school counselors would otherwise
90	90	receive under Subsection (a) for a year as necessary to comply with
91	91	Subsection (c).
92	92	Sec. 61.9857. RULES; ADMINISTRATION. (a) The board shall
93	93	adopt rules necessary to administer this subchapter.
94	94	(b) The board shall distribute to each institution of higher
95	95	education or private or independent institution of higher education
96	96	and to any appropriate state agency and professional association
97	97	copies of the rules adopted under this section and other pertinent
98	98	information relating to this subchapter.
99	99	(c) The board shall administer the program under this
100	100	subchapter in a manner that maximizes any matching funds available
101	101	through other sources.
102	102	Sec. 61.9858. SOLICITATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF FUNDS. The
103	103	board may solicit and accept gifts and grants from any public or
104	104	private source for the purposes of this subchapter.
105	105	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.