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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation and administration of the rural physician |
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training scholarship program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter EE to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER EE. RURAL PHYSICIAN TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM |
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Sec. 61.9801. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. In accordance with this |
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subchapter and board rules, the board shall establish and |
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administer a program to award scholarships to medical students who |
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agree to complete their clinical medical education in rural |
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medically underserved areas of this state. |
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Sec. 61.9802. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive a |
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scholarship under this subchapter, a student must: |
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(1) apply to the board; |
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(2) be enrolled at a medical school of a public or |
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private institution of higher education in this state in a |
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physician training program designed specifically to prepare |
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students to meet the health care needs of rural medically |
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underserved areas of this state; and |
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(3) enter into an agreement with the board as provided |
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by Section 61.9803. |
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Sec. 61.9803. AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS. (a) To qualify for a |
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scholarship under this section, a person must enter into a written |
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agreement with the board as provided by this section. The agreement |
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must: |
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(1) specify the conditions the person must satisfy to |
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receive the scholarship award; |
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(2) require the person to complete at least three |
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years of clinical medical training in a rural physician training |
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program at a medical school of a public or private institution of |
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higher education in this state designed specifically to prepare |
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students to meet the health care needs of rural medically |
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underserved areas of this state; |
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(3) provide that any scholarship award the person |
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receives under this subchapter constitutes a loan until the person |
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completes the three years of required training and satisfies other |
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applicable conditions of the agreement; and |
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(4) require the person to sign a promissory note |
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acknowledging the conditional nature of the scholarship award |
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received and promising to repay the amount of that assistance plus |
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applicable interest and reasonable collection costs if the person |
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does not satisfy the applicable conditions. |
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(b) The board shall determine the terms of the promissory |
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note required by Subsection (a)(4). To the extent practicable, the |
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terms must be the same as those applicable to state or federally |
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guaranteed student loans made at the same time. |
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Sec. 61.9804. GRANTS, GIFTS, AND DONATIONS. In addition to |
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funds appropriated by the legislature, the board may solicit and |
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accept grants, gifts, and donations from any public or private |
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source for the purposes of this subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.9805. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules |
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necessary to administer this subchapter. |
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(b) The board shall distribute to each medical school of a |
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public or private institution of higher education in this state a |
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copy of the rules adopted under this section. |
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SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall adopt rules for the rural physician training scholarship |
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program under Subchapter EE, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added |
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by this Act, not later than December 31, 2007. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |