SRC-SLL, PNG S.B. 1183 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterS.B. 1183 By: Haywood Natural Resources 8/5/1999 Enrolled DIGEST Currently, the Center for Rural Health Initiatives has a program which provides physicians with financial support for student loans for practicing medicine in rural areas. This bill will establish the Rural Veterinarian Incentive Program to increase veterinarian practice in rural Texas, similar to the physicians program. PURPOSE As enrolled, S.B. 1183 establishes the Rural Veterinarian Incentive Program to increase veterinarian practice in rural Texas. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is granted to the Rural Veterinarian Incentive Program Committee in SECTION 1 (Section 88.623(d), Education Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 88, Education Code, by adding Subchapter I, as follows: SUBCHAPTER I. RURAL VETERINARIAN INCENTIVE PROGRAM Sec. 88.621. DEFINITIONS. Defines "college," "committee," "eligible participant," "fund," "program," "rural county," and "university." Sec. 88.622. ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM. Requires Texas A&M University (university) to administer the program in accordance with rules adopted by the rural veterinarian incentive program committee (committee). Sec. 88.623. RURAL VETERINARIAN INCENTIVE PROGRAM COMMITTEE; RULES. Sets forth the members composing the committee. Provides that the dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University (college) serves as the chair of the committee. Provides that an appointed member of the committee serves a term of two years. Requires the committee to promulgate rules concerning the rural veterinarian incentive program (program). Sec. 88.624. ELIGIBLE VETERINARY STUDENT OR GRADUATE. Sets forth the eligibility requirements for persons to participate in the program. Sec. 88.625. RURAL SPONSORS; AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT. Authorizes a community or a political subdivision in a rural county that qualifies under the rules of the committee to become a sponsor of an eligible participant and to provide financial support to the eligible participant under the program. Requires the community or political subdivision to enter into an agreement containing certain provisions with the eligible participant. Authorizes financial support under this section to be satisfied in whole or part by a grant, scholarship, or private foundation, and requires financial support to be deposited in the rural veterinarian incentive fund (fund) for distribution to the eligible student by the university. Sec. 88.626. FINANCIAL SUPPORT; COMMITMENT TO PRACTICE IN RURAL COUNTY. Requires an eligible participant participating in the program to enter into an agreement with the university to practice veterinary medicine in a rural county for one calendar year for each academic year of financial support received by the student. Requires the financial support received by an eligible participant under this subchapter to be used to retire student loan debt or to pay tuition and fees to the university. Requires financial support from the fund to be awarded in the form of grants. Sec. 88.627. RURAL VETERINARIAN INCENTIVE FUND. Provides that the fund is a special fund in the state treasury. Provides that the fund consists of legislative appropriations for purposes of the program, gifts, grants, donations, the market value of in-kind contributions, and other sources of revenue deposited to the credit of the fund by the university. Requires the fund to be administered by the university in accordance with the rules adopted by the committee. Authorizes the university to use a portion of the money deposited to the credit of the fund, not to exceed 10 percent of that amount, for the administration of the program. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: 90 days after adjournment.