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.