1-1 By: Hodge (Senate Sponsor - Cain) H.B. No. 3544 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 1999; 1-3 May 7, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on 1-4 Education; May 14, 1999, reported adversely, with favorable 1-5 Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; 1-6 May 14, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 3544 By: Cain 1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-9 AN ACT 1-10 relating to student loan repayment assistance for certain dentists. 1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-12 SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding 1-13 Subchapter T to read as follows: 1-14 SUBCHAPTER T. REPAYMENT OF CERTAIN 1-15 DENTAL EDUCATION LOANS 1-16 Sec. 61.901. REPAYMENT AUTHORIZED. The board may provide, 1-17 using funds appropriated for that purpose and in accordance with 1-18 this subchapter and rules of the board, assistance in the repayment 1-19 of student loans for dentists who apply and qualify for the 1-20 assistance. 1-21 Sec. 61.902. ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be eligible to receive 1-22 repayment assistance, a dentist must apply to the board and have 1-23 completed at least one year of dental practice in an area of the 1-24 state that is underserved with respect to dental care. 1-25 (b) The board by rule may provide for repayment assistance 1-26 on a pro rata basis for dentists in part-time practice described by 1-27 Subsection (a). 1-28 Sec. 61.903. LIMITATION. A dentist may receive repayment 1-29 assistance grants for each of not more than five years. 1-30 Sec. 61.904. ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The board may provide 1-31 repayment assistance for the repayment of any student loan for 1-32 education at a public or private institution of higher education in 1-33 this state, including loans for undergraduate education, received 1-34 by a dentist through any lender. 1-35 (b) The board may withhold repayment assistance for a 1-36 student loan that is in default at the time of the dentist's 1-37 application. 1-38 (c) Each fiscal biennium, the board shall attempt to 1-39 allocate all funds appropriated to it for the purpose of providing 1-40 repayment assistance under this subchapter. 1-41 Sec. 61.905. REPAYMENT. (a) The coordinating board shall 1-42 deliver any repayment made under this subchapter in a lump sum 1-43 payable to the lender and the dentist, in accordance with any 1-44 applicable federal law. 1-45 (b) A repayment made under this subchapter may be applied to 1-46 any amount due in connection with the loan. 1-47 Sec. 61.906. ADVISORY COMMITTEES. The board may: 1-48 (1) appoint advisory committees from outside the 1-49 board's membership to assist the board in performing its duties 1-50 under this subchapter; and 1-51 (2) request the assistance of the Oral Health Services 1-52 Advisory Committee in performing those duties. 1-53 Sec. 61.907. ACCEPTANCE OF FUNDS. The board may accept 1-54 gifts, grants, and donations for the purposes of this subchapter. 1-55 Sec. 61.908. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules 1-56 necessary for the administration of this subchapter, including a 1-57 rule that sets a maximum amount of repayment assistance that may be 1-58 received by a dentist in one year. The board may consult with the 1-59 Oral Health Services Advisory Committee to assist the board in 1-60 establishing priorities among eligible dentists for repayment 1-61 assistance, taking into account the degree of an area's shortage of 1-62 dental services, geographic locations, whether the dentist is or 1-63 will be providing service in an underserved area with respect to 1-64 dental services, and other criteria the board considers 2-1 appropriate. 2-2 (b) The coordinating board shall distribute to each dental 2-3 school in this state and to appropriate state agencies and 2-4 professional associations copies of the rules adopted under this 2-5 section and other pertinent information relating to this 2-6 subchapter. 2-7 Sec. 61.909. TOTAL AMOUNT OF REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE. The 2-8 total amount of repayment assistance distributed by the board under 2-9 this subchapter may not exceed the total amount of gifts and grants 2-10 accepted by the board for repayment assistance, dental school 2-11 tuition set aside under Section 61.910, legislative appropriations 2-12 for repayment assistance, and other funds available to the board 2-13 for purposes of this subchapter. 2-14 Sec. 61.910. DENTAL SCHOOL TUITION SET ASIDE FOR CERTAIN 2-15 LOAN REPAYMENTS. (a) The governing board of each dental school of 2-16 an institution of higher education shall set aside two percent of 2-17 tuition charges for resident students enrolled in a degree program 2-18 for training dentists. 2-19 (b) The amount set aside shall be transferred to the 2-20 comptroller of public accounts to be maintained in the state 2-21 treasury for the sole purpose of repayment of student loans of 2-22 dentists under this subchapter. Section 403.095(b), Government 2-23 Code, does not apply to the amount set aside by this section. 2-24 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 2-25 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-26 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-27 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-28 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-29 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 2-30 * * * * *