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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to student loan repayment assistance for certain |
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prosecuting attorneys who are employed as part of the border |
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prosecution unit. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter PP to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER PP. REPAYMENT OF EDUCATION LOANS FOR BORDER PROSECUTION |
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UNIT ATTORNEYS |
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Sec. 61.9971. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "border |
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prosecution unit" means the border prosecution unit established |
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under Subchapter B, Chapter 772, Government Code. |
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Sec. 61.9972. LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED. The |
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board shall provide, in accordance with this subchapter and board |
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rules, assistance in the repayment of eligible student loans for |
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eligible attorneys who apply and qualify for the assistance. |
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Sec. 61.9973. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive loan |
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repayment assistance under this subchapter, an attorney must: |
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(1) apply to the board in a manner prescribed by the |
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board; |
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(2) be an attorney licensed in this state; and |
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(3) have completed one, two, three, or four |
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consecutive years of employment as a prosecuting attorney for the |
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border prosecution unit. |
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Sec. 61.9974. LIMITATION. An attorney may receive loan |
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repayment assistance under this subchapter for not more than four |
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years. |
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Sec. 61.9975. 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 for education at an institution of higher |
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education, a private or independent institution of higher |
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education, or a public or private out-of-state institution of |
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higher education accredited by a recognized accrediting agency, |
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including loans for undergraduate education, received by an |
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eligible person through any lender. |
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(b) The board may not provide repayment assistance for a |
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student loan that is in default at the time of the person's |
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application. |
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(c) In each state fiscal biennium, the board shall attempt |
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to allocate all money appropriated to the board for the purpose of |
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providing loan repayment assistance under this subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.9976. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any |
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repayment under this subchapter in a lump sum payable: |
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(1) to both the lender or other holder of the loan and |
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the attorney; or |
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(2) directly to the lender or other holder of the loan |
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on the attorney's behalf. |
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(b) A repayment under this subchapter may be applied to any |
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amount due in connection with the loan. |
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Sec. 61.9977. AMOUNT OF REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE. (a) For each |
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year an attorney establishes eligibility for the assistance, the |
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attorney may receive loan repayment assistance under this |
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subchapter in an amount determined by applying the following |
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applicable percentage to the attorney's total student loan balance: |
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(1) for the first year, 25 percent; |
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(2) for the second year, 25 percent; |
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(3) for the third year, 25 percent; and |
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(4) for the fourth year, 25 percent. |
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(b) The total amount of loan repayment assistance awarded |
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under this subchapter may not exceed the sum of: |
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(1) the total amount of gifts and grants accepted by |
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the board for the repayment assistance; |
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(2) legislative appropriations for the repayment |
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assistance; and |
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(3) other money available to the board for the |
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repayment assistance. |
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(c) The total amount of loan repayment assistance received |
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by an attorney under this subchapter may not exceed $110,000. |
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(d) The total amount of loan repayment assistance awarded |
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under this subchapter may not exceed $2 million in each state fiscal |
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biennium. |
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(e) The board may adjust in an equitable manner the |
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distribution amounts that attorneys would otherwise receive under |
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Subsection (a) for a year as necessary to comply with the other |
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provisions of this section. |
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Sec. 61.9978. RULES; ADMINISTRATION. (a) The board shall |
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adopt rules necessary to administer this subchapter, including |
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rules regarding reimbursement of any loan repayment assistance paid |
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to an attorney who does not complete four consecutive years of |
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employment as a prosecuting attorney for the border prosecution |
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unit. |
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(b) The board shall distribute copies of the rules adopted |
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under this section and other pertinent information relating to this |
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subchapter to: |
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(1) each school of law authorized by the board to award |
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a degree that satisfies the law study requirements for licensure as |
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an attorney in this state; |
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(2) the office of each prosecutor who is a member of |
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the border prosecution unit; and |
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(3) the criminal justice division of the governor's |
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office. |
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(c) The board shall administer the program under this |
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subchapter in a manner that maximizes any matching funds available |
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through other sources. |
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Sec. 61.9979. SOLICITATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF MONEY. The |
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board may solicit and accept gifts and grants from any public or |
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private source for the purposes of this subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |