89R9264 AND-F
By: Tepper H.B. No. 2992
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the name and function of the rural veterinarian
incentive program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter G, Chapter 56,
Education Code, is amended to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER G. RURAL AND SHELTER VETERINARIAN INCENTIVE PROGRAM
SECTION 2. Section 56.101, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 56.101. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Account" means the rural and shelter veterinarian
incentive program account.
(2) "College" means a college of veterinary medicine
located in this state and accredited by the American Veterinary
Medical Association Council on Education.
(3) "Committee" means the rural and shelter
veterinarian incentive program committee.
(4) "Eligible participant" means a person eligible to
participate in the program under Section 56.104.
(5) "General academic teaching institution" has the
meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
(6) "High-quality, high-volume spay and neuter
clinic" means an animal shelter or a veterinary clinic that:
(A) spays or neuters, on average, at least 40
dogs per business day; and
(B) charges a below-market fee for a spay or
neuter procedure.
(7) "Program" means the rural and shelter veterinarian
incentive program established by this subchapter.
(8) [(7)] "Rural county" means a county in this state
with a population of less than 150,000.
(9) "Shelter medicine" includes all areas of
veterinary practice relevant to the care and management of stray,
homeless, abandoned, or unwanted animals.
(10) [(8)] "University system" has the meaning
assigned by Section 61.003.
SECTION 3. The heading to Section 56.103, Education Code,
is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 56.103. RURAL AND SHELTER VETERINARIAN INCENTIVE
PROGRAM COMMITTEE; RULES.
SECTION 4. Section 56.103, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsection (f) to read
as follows:
(a) The rural and shelter veterinarian incentive program
committee consists of:
(1) the executive director of the Texas Animal Health
Commission, or the executive director's designee;
(2) the executive director of the State Board of
Veterinary Medical Examiners, or the executive director's
designee;
(3) the dean of each accredited college of veterinary
medicine located in this state, or the dean's designee;
(4) a veterinarian with a mixed animal practice,
representing each university system located in Texas with an
accredited college of veterinary medicine, appointed by the board
of regents of each university system;
(5) a veterinarian with a large animal practice,
representing each university system located in Texas with an
accredited college of veterinary medicine, appointed by the board
of regents of each university system; [and]
(6) a practitioner of veterinary medicine who serves
as a commissioner of the Texas Animal Health Commission, appointed
by the chair of the Texas Animal Health Commission; and
(7) two shelter medicine practitioners who are
associated with an animal shelter, appointed by the president of
the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.
(d) The committee shall adopt rules:
(1) establishing criteria to determine whether a
person is an eligible participant as the committee considers
reasonable, including the person's:
(A) background and interest in rural practice or
shelter medicine; and
(B) financial need;
(2) providing for requesting the distribution of money
from the account for the program;
(3) establishing the criteria necessary [for a
community or political subdivision in a rural county] to qualify as
a student sponsor under Section 56.105;
(4) governing agreements of financial support between
a [rural] sponsor and an eligible student; and
(5) establishing other procedures necessary to
administer the program.
(f) In adopting rules under this section, the committee:
(1) is not required to disburse money under the
program evenly among all eligible participants; and
(2) shall ensure that financial assistance provided
under the program provides the maximum benefit to communities by
filling areas of need in large-animal, mixed-animal, or shelter
medicine practice.
SECTION 5. The heading to Section 56.105, Education Code,
is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 56.105. [RURAL] SPONSORS; AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE
FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
SECTION 6. Sections 56.105(a) and (b), Education Code, are
amended to read as follows:
(a) A community or political subdivision located in a rural
county or any community or political subdivision within which a
high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter clinic is located that
qualifies under the rules of the committee may become a sponsor of
an eligible participant and may provide financial support to the
eligible participant under the program.
(b) To participate as a sponsor in the program, the
community or political subdivision must enter into an agreement
with the eligible participant to provide financial support to the
eligible participant in an amount not less than the tuition and fees
required for a full academic year for a student enrolled in a
college in exchange for the eligible participant's agreement to
practice veterinary medicine:
(1) in a rural county, anywhere in the sponsoring
community or political subdivision; or
(2) in a high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter
clinic located in the sponsoring community or political
subdivision.
SECTION 7. The heading to Section 56.106, Education Code,
is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 56.106. FINANCIAL SUPPORT; COMMITMENT TO PRACTICE IN
RURAL COUNTY OR HIGH-QUALITY, HIGH-VOLUME SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC.
SECTION 8. Section 56.106(a), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) To participate in the program, an eligible participant
must enter into an agreement with the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board that:
(1) requires the participant to practice veterinary
medicine in a rural county or in a high-quality, high-volume spay
and neuter clinic for one calendar year for each academic year for
which the participant receives financial support under the program;
(2) specifies the conditions the participant must
satisfy to receive financial support under the program;
(3) provides that any financial support the
participant receives under the program constitutes a loan until the
participant satisfies the conditions of the agreement; and
(4) requires the participant to sign a promissory note
acknowledging the conditional nature of the financial support
received under the program and promising to repay the amount of the
financial support, any applicable interest, and reasonable
collection costs if the participant does not satisfy the conditions
of the agreement.
SECTION 9. The heading to Section 61.9965, Education Code,
is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 61.9965. RURAL AND SHELTER VETERINARIAN INCENTIVE
PROGRAM ACCOUNT.
SECTION 10. Sections 61.9965(a) and (b), Education Code,
are amended to read as follows:
(a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
administer the rural and shelter veterinarian incentive program
account in accordance with Subchapter G, Chapter 56, to provide
assistance in the repayment of student loans for eligible
veterinarians who apply and qualify for the assistance under the
rules of the Texas Animal Health Commission rural and shelter
veterinarian incentive program committee.
(b) The rural and shelter veterinarian incentive program
account is an account in the general revenue fund. The account is
composed of:
(1) gifts, grants, in-kind contributions, or real or
personal property contributed to the account from any individual,
group, association, or corporation or the United States, subject to
limitations or conditions set by law, for the purposes of this
subchapter;
(2) earnings on the principal of the account; and
(3) other amounts deposited to the credit of the
account, including:
(A) money deposited from a community or political
subdivision that qualifies under the rules authorized by Section
56.105 to become a sponsor of an eligible participant under the
program; and
(B) legislative appropriations deposited to the
account.
SECTION 11. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.