76R12269 KEL-F                           
         By Hodge                                              H.B. No. 3544
         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3544:
         By Rangel                                         C.S.H.B. No. 3544
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to student loan repayment assistance for certain dentists.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
 1-5     Subchapter T to read as follows:
 1-6                     SUBCHAPTER T.  REPAYMENT OF CERTAIN
 1-7                           DENTAL EDUCATION LOANS
 1-8           Sec. 61.901.  REPAYMENT AUTHORIZED.  The board may provide,
 1-9     using funds appropriated for that purpose and in accordance with
1-10     this subchapter and rules of the board, assistance in the repayment
1-11     of student loans for dentists who apply and qualify for the
1-12     assistance.
1-13           Sec. 61.902.  ELIGIBILITY.  (a) To be eligible to receive
1-14     repayment assistance, a dentist must apply to the board and have
1-15     completed at least one year of dental practice in an area of the
1-16     state that is underserved with respect to dental care.
1-17           (b)  The board by rule may provide for repayment assistance
1-18     on a pro rata basis for dentists in part-time practice described by
1-19     Subsection (a).
1-20           Sec. 61.903.  LIMITATION.  A dentist may receive repayment
1-21     assistance grants for each of not more than five years.
1-22           Sec. 61.904.  ELIGIBLE LOANS.  (a)  The board may provide
1-23     repayment assistance for the repayment of any student loan for
1-24     education at an institution of higher education, including loans
 2-1     for undergraduate education, received by a dentist through any
 2-2     lender.
 2-3           (b)  The board may withhold repayment assistance for a
 2-4     student loan that is in default at the time of the dentist's
 2-5     application.
 2-6           (c)  Each fiscal biennium, the board shall attempt to
 2-7     allocate all funds appropriated to it for the purpose of providing
 2-8     repayment assistance under this subchapter.
 2-9           Sec. 61.905.  REPAYMENT.  (a)  The coordinating board shall
2-10     deliver any repayment made under this subchapter in a lump sum
2-11     payable to the lender and the dentist, in accordance with any
2-12     applicable federal law.
2-13           (b)  A repayment made under this subchapter may be applied to
2-14     any amount due in connection with the loan.
2-15           Sec. 61.906.  ADVISORY COMMITTEES.  The board may:
2-16                 (1)  appoint advisory committees from outside the
2-17     board's membership to assist the board in performing its duties
2-18     under this subchapter; and
2-19                 (2)  request the assistance of the Oral Health Services
2-20     Advisory Committee in performing those duties.
2-21           Sec. 61.907.  ACCEPTANCE OF FUNDS.  The board may accept
2-22     gifts, grants, and donations for the purposes of this subchapter.
2-23           Sec. 61.908. RULES.  (a) The board shall adopt rules
2-24     necessary for the administration of this subchapter, including a
2-25     rule that sets a maximum amount of repayment assistance that may be
2-26     received by a dentist in one year. The board may consult with the
2-27     Oral Health Services Advisory Committee to assist the board in
 3-1     establishing priorities among eligible dentists for repayment
 3-2     assistance, taking into account the degree of an area's shortage of
 3-3     dental services, geographic locations, whether the dentist is or
 3-4     will be providing service in an underserved area with respect to
 3-5     dental services, and other criteria the board considers
 3-6     appropriate.
 3-7           (b)  The coordinating board shall distribute to each dental
 3-8     school in this state and to appropriate state agencies and
 3-9     professional associations copies of the rules adopted under this
3-10     section and other pertinent information relating to this
3-11     subchapter.
3-12           Sec. 61.909.  TOTAL AMOUNT OF REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE.  The
3-13     total amount of repayment assistance distributed by the board under
3-14     this subchapter may not exceed the total amount of gifts and grants
3-15     accepted by the board for repayment assistance, dental school
3-16     tuition set aside under Section 61.910, legislative appropriations
3-17     for repayment assistance, and other funds available to the board
3-18     for purposes of this subchapter.
3-19           Sec. 61.910.  DENTAL SCHOOL TUITION SET ASIDE FOR CERTAIN
3-20     LOAN REPAYMENTS.  (a)  The governing board of each dental school of
3-21     an institution of higher education shall set aside two percent of
3-22     tuition charges for resident students enrolled in a degree program
3-23     for training dentists.
3-24           (b)  The amount set aside shall be transferred to the
3-25     comptroller of public accounts to be maintained in the state
3-26     treasury for the sole purpose of repayment of student loans of
3-27     dentists under this subchapter.  Section 403.095(b), Government
 4-1     Code, does not apply to the amount set aside by this section.
 4-2           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 4-3           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 4-4     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 4-5     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 4-6     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 4-7     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.