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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a student loan repayment assistance program for certain |
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professionals for exceptional service to the State of Texas during |
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the coronavirus pandemic. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the Thanking Our |
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Frontline Heroes Student Loan Relief Act. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter NO to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER NO: FRONTLINE WORKERS LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE |
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PROGRAM |
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Sec. 61.9961. DEFINITION. (a) In this subchapter, |
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"frontline worker" means any person providing health, education, |
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public safety, or other necessary support services related to the |
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coronavirus pandemic, as determined by the board. |
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(b) The board, in consultation with relevant state |
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agencies, shall develop a list of occupations that can qualify as a |
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frontline worker, which shall include: |
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(1) employees of public schools, open enrollment |
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charter schools, and private schools; |
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(2) employees of public and private institutions of |
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higher education; |
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(3) peace officers; |
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(4) fire fighters; |
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(5) emergency medical technicians; |
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(6) medical professionals, including doctors, |
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physician assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, mental health |
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professionals, and hospital support personnel; |
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(7) employees of nursing homes, state supported living |
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centers, or similar long-term care facilities; |
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(8) employees of child care facilities; |
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(9) social workers; and |
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(10) members of the Texas military forces, United |
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State armed forces, or a reserve component of the armed forces who |
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participated in coronavirus-related service. |
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Sec. 61.9962. LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED; |
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PURPOSE. The board shall establish and administer a program to |
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provide, in accordance with this subchapter and board rules, loan |
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repayment assistance in the repayment of eligible loans for |
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eligible frontline workers who provided necessary services during |
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the coronavirus pandemic. |
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Sec. 61.9963. ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be eligible to receive |
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loan repayment assistance under this subchapter, a person must: |
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(1) be a Texas resident at the time of application; |
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(2) for a substantial portion, as determined by board |
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rules, of the period between March 15, 2020 and December 31, 2020, |
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have been employed as a frontline worker; and |
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(3) submit to the board an application for the loan |
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repayment assistance, in the manner and on a form prescribed by the |
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board, that requires: |
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(A) employer verification or other |
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documentation, as established by board rule, of the person's |
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employment as a frontline worker in the specified period of time; |
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and |
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(B) a statement of the total amount of principal, |
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accrued interest, fees, and other charges due on all outstanding |
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eligible loans for which the person is applying for repayment |
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assistance; |
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(4) have earned a degree or certification from a |
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public or private institution of higher education or earned at |
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least 30 semester credit hours before the person's initial |
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employment as a frontline worker; and |
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(5) comply with any other requirement adopted by the |
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board under this subchapter. |
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(b) The board shall establish by rule a time period during |
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which applications may be submitted of no less than 90 calendar |
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days. |
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Sec. 61.9964. AWARD. (a) Except as provided by this |
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section, an eligible person is entitled to receive an amount of loan |
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repayment assistance under this chapter payable to the holders of |
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the eligible person's eligible loans in an amount equal to the |
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lesser of $5,000 or the balance of the total amount stated in the |
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person's application under Sec. 61.9963, subject to the amount of |
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available funding. |
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(b) An eligible person may receive only one award under this |
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subchapter. |
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(c) If the amount of money available for loan repayment |
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assistance under this subchapter is insufficient to provide loan |
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repayment assistance to all eligible persons, the board shall |
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establish criteria to determine the amount of available money to |
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allocate to the holders of student loans of eligible persons as the |
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board determines appropriate to further the purpose of this |
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subchapter. |
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(d) An eligible person whose loan repayment assistance |
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under this section is less than the amount necessary to cover the |
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amount of principal and interest due on the person's eligible loans |
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for the period in which the award is disbursed is responsible for |
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the payment of the remainder of the amount due and for otherwise |
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preventing a default on the loan. |
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Sec. 61.6695. ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The board may provide |
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loan repayment assistance under this subchapter for the repayment |
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of any student loan received by an eligible person through any |
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lender for the cost of attendance at an institution of higher |
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education or a private or independent institution of higher |
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education. |
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(b) If the loan is not a state or federal guaranteed student |
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loan, the promissory note or other loan agreement document |
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governing the terms of the loan must require all the loan proceeds |
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to be used for expenses incurred by a person in attending an |
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institution of higher education or a private or independent |
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institution of higher education. |
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Sec. 61.9966. PAYMENT OF LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE. |
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(a) The board shall pay any loan repayment assistance under this |
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subchapter in a lump sum delivered on the eligible person's behalf |
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directly to the holder of the loan. |
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(b) Loan repayment assistance provided under this |
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subchapter may be applied to any amount due on the loan. |
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(c) The board shall attempt to allocate all money available |
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to the board for the purpose of providing loan repayment assistance |
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under this subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.9967. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The board may |
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solicit and accept gifts, grants, and other donations from any |
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public or private source for the purposes of this subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.9968. RULES; POSTING REQUIRED. (a) The board shall |
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adopt rules necessary for the administration of this subchapter. |
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(b) The board shall post on the board's Internet website a |
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copy of the rules adopted under this subchapter and information |
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regarding the program established under this subchapter. |
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(c) The board may advertise in any available media or |
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otherwise promote the loan repayment assistance program to further |
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the purposes of this chapter. |
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Sec. 61.9969. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires December |
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31, 2022. |
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SECTION 3. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall adopt rules for the frontline workers loan repayment |
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assistance program under Subchapter NO, Chapter 61, Education Code, |
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as added by this Act, not later than December 1, 2021. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |