By:  Ellis                                            S.B. No. 1714
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                       AN ACT
 1-1     relating to a repayment of certain law school education loans.
 1-2           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-3     SECTION 1.  Subchapter T, Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by
 1-4     adding Section 61 to read as follows:
 1-5     Sec. 61.900  REPAYMENT OF CERTAIN LAW SCHOOL EDUCATION LOANS
 1-6     Sec. 61.901  Eligibility.
 1-7     (a)  To be eligible to receive repayment assistance, an attorney
 1-8     must:
 1-9                 (1)  apply to the coordinating board; and
1-10                 (2)  have completed at least one year of employment
1-11     with the State of Texas or an Agency of the State of Texas.
1-12     Sec. 61.902  Limitation.
1-13     An attorney may not receive repayment assistance grants for more
1-14     than five years.
1-15     Sec. 61.903  Eligible Loans.
1-16     (a)  The coordinating board may provide repayment assistance for
1-17     the repayment of law school loans from public institutions of
1-18     higher education granted authority by the state of Texas to provide
1-19     a Juris Doctorate, including loans for eligible law schools
1-20     received by an attorney through any lender.
1-21     (b)  The coordinating board may not provide repayment assistance
1-22     for a student loan that is in default at the time of the attorney's
 2-1     application.
 2-2     Sec. 61.904  Repayment.
 2-3     (a)  The coordinating board shall deliver any repayment made under
 2-4     this subchapter in a lump sum payable to the lender and the
 2-5     attorney, in accordance with federal law.
 2-6     (b)  A Repayment made under this subchapter may be applied to the
 2-7     principal amount of the loan and to interest that accrues.
 2-8     Sec. 61.905  Advisory Committees.
 2-9     The coordinating board may appoint advisory committees from outside
2-10     the board's membership to assist the board in performing its duties
2-11     under this subchapter.
2-12     Sec. 61.906  Acceptance of Funds.
2-13     The coordinating board may accept gifts, grants, and donations for
2-14     the purposes of this subchapter.
2-15     Sec. 61.907  Rules.
2-16     (a)  The coordinating board shall adopt rules necessary for the
2-17     administration of this subchapter, including a rule that sets a
2-18     maximum amount of repayment assistance that may be received by an
2-19     attorney in one year.
2-20     (b)  The coordinating board shall distribute a copy of the rules
2-21     adopted under this section and pertinent information in this
2-22     subchapter to:
2-23                 (1)  each public institution of higher education that
2-24     offers a law school education program;
2-25                 (2)  any other appropriate state agency; and
2-26                 (3)  any appropriate professional association.
 3-1           SECTION 2.  Subchapter M Section 61, Education Code, as added
 3-2     by this Act, not later than September 1, 1999.
 3-3           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 3-4     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 3-5     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 3-6     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 3-7     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.