76R9269 KEL-D
By Gallego H.B. No. 1576
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1576:
By Rangel C.S.H.B. No. 1576
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the repayment of student loans for certain public
1-3 school teachers and college and university faculty members.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter M, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 SUBCHAPTER M. REPAYMENT OF CERTAIN
1-8 TEACHER AND FACULTY EDUCATION LOANS
1-9 Sec. 61.701. REPAYMENT AUTHORIZED. The [coordinating] board
1-10 may provide, in accordance with this subchapter and board rules,
1-11 assistance in the repayment of student loans for persons [teachers]
1-12 who apply and qualify for the assistance.
1-13 Sec. 61.702. ELIGIBILITY. [(a)] To be eligible to receive
1-14 repayment assistance, a person [teacher] must[:]
1-15 [(1)] apply to the [coordinating] board[;] and must
1-16 have:
1-17 (1) [(2) have] completed at least one year of
1-18 employment as and be employed as a full-time classroom teacher in
1-19 the elementary or secondary schools of this state in an area or
1-20 field of acute teacher shortage as designated by the State Board of
1-21 Education; or
1-22 (2) received a doctoral degree not earlier than
1-23 September 1, 1994, from a public or private institution of higher
1-24 education accredited as required by the board and be employed as a
2-1 full-time faculty member with instructional duties in an
2-2 institution of higher education located in a county that borders
2-3 the United Mexican States.
2-4 [(b) The coordinating board may provide by rule for
2-5 repayment assistance on a pro rata basis for teachers employed
2-6 part-time in an elementary or secondary school of this state in an
2-7 area or field of acute teacher shortage as designated by the State
2-8 Board of Education.]
2-9 Sec. 61.703. LIMITATION. A person [teacher] may not receive
2-10 repayment assistance grants for more than 10 [five] years.
2-11 Sec. 61.704. ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The [coordinating] board
2-12 may provide repayment assistance for the repayment of any student
2-13 loan for education at a public or private [an] institution of
2-14 higher education, including loans for undergraduate and graduate
2-15 education, received by a person [teacher] through any lender.
2-16 (b) The [coordinating] board may not provide repayment
2-17 assistance for a student loan that is in default at the time of the
2-18 person's [teacher's] application.
2-19 Sec. 61.705. REPAYMENT. (a) The [coordinating] board shall
2-20 deliver any repayment made under this subchapter in a lump sum
2-21 payable to the lender and the person [teacher], in accordance with
2-22 federal law.
2-23 (b) A repayment made under this subchapter may be applied to
2-24 the principal amount of the loan and to interest that accrues.
2-25 (c) The minimum amount of repayment assistance that may be
2-26 received in one year by a person described by Section 61.702(2) is
2-27 50 percent of the amount of principal and accrued interest that is
3-1 due that year.
3-2 Sec. 61.706. ADVISORY COMMITTEES. The [coordinating] board
3-3 may appoint advisory committees from outside the board's membership
3-4 to assist the board in performing its duties under this subchapter.
3-5 Sec. 61.707. ACCEPTANCE OF FUNDS. The [coordinating] board
3-6 may accept gifts, grants, and donations for the purposes of this
3-7 subchapter.
3-8 Sec. 61.708. RULES. (a) The [coordinating] board shall
3-9 adopt rules necessary for the administration of this subchapter,
3-10 including:
3-11 (1) a rule that sets a minimum or maximum amount of
3-12 repayment assistance that may be received in one year by a person
3-13 described by Section 61.702(1); and
3-14 (2) a rule that sets a maximum amount of repayment
3-15 assistance that may be received in one year by a person described
3-16 by Section 61.702(2) [teacher in one year].
3-17 (b) The [coordinating] board shall distribute a copy of the
3-18 rules adopted under this section and pertinent information in this
3-19 subchapter to:
3-20 (1) each institution of higher education that offers a
3-21 teacher education program;
3-22 (2) the personnel office at each institution of higher
3-23 education described by Section 61.702(2);
3-24 (3) any other appropriate state agency; and
3-25 (4) [(3)] any appropriate professional association.
3-26 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
3-27 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
4-1 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-2 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-3 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-4 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.