1-1 By: Turner of Coleman, et al. H.B. No. 2241
1-2 (Senate Sponsor - Carriker)
1-3 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 1993;
1-4 May 10, 1993, read first time and referred to Committee on Health
1-5 and Human Services; May 23, 1993, reported favorably, as amended,
1-6 by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 23, 1993, sent to
1-7 printer.)
1-8 COMMITTEE VOTE
1-9 Yea Nay PNV Absent
1-10 Zaffirini x
1-11 Ellis x
1-12 Madla x
1-13 Moncrief x
1-14 Nelson x
1-15 Patterson x
1-16 Shelley x
1-17 Truan x
1-18 Wentworth x
1-19 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1 By: Truan
1-20 Amend H.B. No. 2241 as follows:
1-21 (1) In Section 106.075(a), Health and Safety Code (page 2,
1-22 lines 25 and 26, house engrossment), strike Subdivision (2) and
1-23 substitute the following:
1-24 "(2) at the time of the application for the loan, be
1-25 enrolled in high school or enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a
1-26 postsecondary educational institution in this state;".
1-27 (2) In Section 106.081(a), Health and Safety Code (page 3,
1-28 line 51, house engrossment), insert the following after the period:
1-29 The center shall distribute reports relating to the progress of a
1-30 student to the community sponsoring the student.
1-31 (3) In Section 106.081, Health and Safety Code (page 3,
1-32 lines 56-60, house engrossment), strike Subsection (c) and
1-33 substitute the following:
1-34 (c) A postsecondary educational institution shall provide to
1-35 the executive committee a copy of the academic transcript of each
1-36 student for whom the institution has received a release that
1-37 complies with state and federal open records laws and that
1-38 authorizes the provision of the transcript.
1-39 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-40 AN ACT
1-41 relating to health careers promotion for high school students
1-42 interested in providing health care services in qualified areas.
1-43 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-44 SECTION 1. Chapter 106, Health and Safety Code, is amended
1-45 by adding Subchapter D to read as follows:
1-46 SUBCHAPTER D. HEALTH CAREERS PROMOTION AND EDUCATION PROGRAM
1-47 Sec. 106.071. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
1-48 (1) "Fund" means the health careers education fund.
1-49 (2) "Qualified area" means an area qualifying under
1-50 the National Health Services Corps Community Scholarship Program or
1-51 an area with similar characteristics as identified by the center.
1-52 (3) "Postsecondary educational institution" means:
1-53 (A) an institution of higher education, as
1-54 defined by Section 61.003, Education Code;
1-55 (B) a nonprofit, independent institution
1-56 approved under Section 61.222, Education Code; or
1-57 (C) a nonprofit, health-related school or
1-58 program accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and
1-59 Schools, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the American
1-60 Osteopathic Association, the Board of Nurse Examiners, the Board of
1-61 Vocational Nurse Examiners, or, in the case of allied health, an
1-62 accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of
1-63 Education.
1-64 (4) "Program" means the health careers promotion and
1-65 education program.
1-66 Sec. 106.072. ADMINISTRATION. (a) The center shall
1-67 administer or contract for the administration of the program.
1-68 (b) The center may solicit and accept gifts, grants,
2-1 donations, and contributions to support the program.
2-2 Sec. 106.073. HEALTH CAREERS PROMOTION. The center may
2-3 establish a program to work with students, communities, and
2-4 community-based organizations to encourage high school students to
2-5 pursue health care professional careers. The center shall give
2-6 priority to working with communities and students in qualified
2-7 areas.
2-8 Sec. 106.074. LOANS. (a) The executive committee may award
2-9 forgivable educational loans to eligible students under this
2-10 subchapter.
2-11 (b) The executive committee may award forgivable loans to
2-12 eligible students based on the availability of money in the fund.
2-13 (c) If in any year the fund is inadequate to provide loans
2-14 to all eligible students, the executive committee may award
2-15 forgivable loans on a priority basis according to the students'
2-16 academic performance, test scores, and other criteria of
2-17 eligibility.
2-18 Sec. 106.075. STUDENT ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be eligible to
2-19 receive a loan under this subsection, a student must:
2-20 (1) be sponsored by an eligible community;
2-21 (2) be enrolled in high school at the time of
2-22 application for the loan;
2-23 (3) meet academic requirements as established by the
2-24 executive committee;
2-25 (4) plan to complete a health care professional degree
2-26 or certificate program;
2-27 (5) plan to practice as a health care professional in
2-28 a qualified area of the state;
2-29 (6) meet other requirements as established by the
2-30 executive committee.
2-31 (b) Other requirements for eligibility for a loan under this
2-32 subchapter must include:
2-33 (1) one or more interviews with the student; and
2-34 (2) a statement written by the student of the
2-35 student's reasons for:
2-36 (A) entering the health care profession; and
2-37 (B) wanting to provide health care services to a
2-38 qualified area in this state.
2-39 Sec. 106.076. COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be eligible to
2-40 sponsor a student under this section, a community must:
2-41 (1) be located in a qualified area in this state; and
2-42 (2) provide evidence of community sponsorship of the
2-43 student.
2-44 (b) Community sponsorship consists of:
2-45 (1) a commitment to fund a percentage of the student's
2-46 postsecondary educational expenses, including tuition, fees,
2-47 educational materials, and living expenses; and
2-48 (2) a commitment to employ the student on a full-time
2-49 basis as a health care professional upon the student's completion
2-50 of the academic program and licensure or certification in the
2-51 health care profession for which the student is sponsored.
2-52 (c) The executive committee shall determine the percentage
2-53 of educational expenses communities are required to provide under
2-54 this section.
2-55 (d) Community financial support may be satisfied in whole or
2-56 in part by a grant, a scholarship, or private foundation support.
2-57 Sec. 106.077. AMOUNT OF LOAN. (a) On confirmation of an
2-58 eligible student's admission to a postsecondary educational
2-59 institution or on receipt of an enrollment report of the student at
2-60 a postsecondary educational institution, and certification of the
2-61 amount of financial support needed, the executive committee may
2-62 award a forgivable loan to the student in the amount of not more
2-63 than the cost of the student's tuition, fees, educational
2-64 materials, and living expenses.
2-65 (b) An eligible student may receive another grant, loan, or
2-66 scholarship for which the student is eligible in addition to the
2-67 receipt of a forgivable loan, except that the total amount of funds
2-68 received may not exceed the reasonable needs of the student as
2-69 determined by the postsecondary educational institution in which
2-70 the student is enrolled.
3-1 Sec. 106.078. REQUIRED CONTRACT. (a) A student may receive
3-2 assistance under this subchapter only if the student signs a
3-3 contract agreeing to provide health care services to the sponsoring
3-4 community upon completion of the academic program and licensure or
3-5 certification in the health care profession for which the student
3-6 is sponsored.
3-7 (b) The contract must provide that if the student does not
3-8 provide the required services to the community or provides those
3-9 services for less than the required time, the student is personally
3-10 liable to the state for:
3-11 (1) the total amount of assistance the student
3-12 receives from the center and the sponsoring community;
3-13 (2) interest on the total amount at a rate set by the
3-14 executive committee; and
3-15 (3) the state's reasonable expenses incurred in
3-16 obtaining payment, including reasonable attorney's fees.
3-17 Sec. 106.079. LOAN FORGIVENESS. (a) A loan recipient shall
3-18 be forgiven the principal and interest of one year's loan for each
3-19 year the recipient practices as a health care professional
3-20 providing health care services in the sponsoring community.
3-21 (b) A loan recipient must practice as a health care
3-22 professional providing health care services in the sponsoring
3-23 community for a minimum of two years.
3-24 (c) If the executive committee finds that a sponsoring
3-25 community is not in need of the student's services and that the
3-26 community is willing to forgive repayment of the principal balance
3-27 and interest of the student's loan, the executive committee by rule
3-28 may provide for the principal balance and interest of the student's
3-29 loan to be forgiven if the student provides services in another
3-30 qualified area in this state.
3-31 Sec. 106.080. FUND. (a) The health careers education fund
3-32 is established in the state treasury.
3-33 (b) The center shall administer the fund.
3-34 (c) The fund consists of gifts, grants, donations, the
3-35 market value of in-kind contributions, and principal and interest
3-36 payments on forgivable loans deposited to the credit of the fund by
3-37 the center.
3-38 (d) The center shall deposit any principal and interest
3-39 payments on forgivable loans to the credit of the fund.
3-40 (e) The center shall allocate the fund, as available, for
3-41 forgivable loans and community repayment under this subchapter.
3-42 (f) Unless otherwise provided by the General Appropriations
3-43 Act, the center may use money appropriated to the center to support
3-44 the fund.
3-45 Sec. 106.081. REPORTING, MONITORING. (a) The center shall
3-46 require reports from students, communities, and postsecondary
3-47 educational institutions as needed to monitor the program.
3-48 (b) The sponsoring community shall report to the executive
3-49 committee the length of time the student provides health care
3-50 services in the community in accordance with the guidelines
3-51 established by the executive committee.
3-52 (c) A postsecondary educational institution annually shall
3-53 report the progress and performance of each student to the
3-54 executive committee in accordance with the guidelines established
3-55 by the executive committee. The center shall distribute such
3-56 reports to the community sponsoring the student.
3-57 Sec. 106.082. PROGRAM PROMOTION. The center shall provide
3-58 postsecondary educational institutions and communities in qualified
3-59 areas with information about health care careers and loan
3-60 opportunities, including information on eligibility and
3-61 availability of funds under this subchapter.
3-62 Sec. 106.083. ADOPTION OF RULES. (a) The executive
3-63 committee shall adopt reasonable rules to enforce the requirements,
3-64 conditions, and limitations under this subchapter.
3-65 (b) The executive committee shall set the rate of interest
3-66 charged on a forgivable loan under this subchapter.
3-67 (c) The executive committee shall adopt rules necessary to
3-68 ensure compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C.
3-69 Section 200d et seq.) concerning nondiscrimination in admissions.
3-70 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
4-1 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
4-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
4-6 * * * * *
4-7 Austin,
4-8 Texas
4-9 May 23, 1993
4-10 Hon. Bob Bullock
4-11 President of the Senate
4-12 Sir:
4-13 We, your Committee on Health and Human Services to which was
4-14 referred H.B. No. 2241, have had the same under consideration, and
4-15 I am instructed to report it back to the Senate with the
4-16 recommendation that it do pass, as amended, and be printed.
4-17 Zaffirini,
4-18 Chair
4-19 * * * * *
4-20 WITNESSES
4-21 FOR AGAINST ON
4-22 ___________________________________________________________________
4-23 Name: Sara McGonagle x
4-24 Representing: Tx Nurses Asso
4-25 City: Austin
4-26 -------------------------------------------------------------------
4-27 Name: David Marwitz x
4-28 Representing: Tx Hospital Asso
4-29 City: Austin
4-30 -------------------------------------------------------------------
4-31 Name: Karen Lindell x
4-32 Representing: Tx Rural Health Asso
4-33 City: Austin
4-34 -------------------------------------------------------------------
4-35 Name: Richard King x
4-36 Representing: Am Asso of Retired Persons
4-37 City: Round Rock
4-38 -------------------------------------------------------------------
4-39 Name: Troy Alexander x
4-40 Representing: Tx Academy of Family Physicia
4-41 City: Austin
4-42 -------------------------------------------------------------------
4-43 Name: Claudia Siegel x
4-44 Representing: Center Rural Health Initiativ
4-45 City: Austin
4-46 -------------------------------------------------------------------