| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to student loan repayment assistance for speech-language |
|
|
pathologists employed by a public school. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding |
|
|
Subchapter EE to read as follows: |
|
|
SUBCHAPTER EE. REPAYMENT OF CERTAIN SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST |
|
|
EDUCATION LOANS |
|
|
Sec. 61.9751. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
|
|
(1) "Public school" means a public preschool or |
|
|
primary or secondary school in this state. |
|
|
(2) "Speech-language pathologist" means a person |
|
|
licensed as a speech-language pathologist under Chapter 401, |
|
|
Occupations Code. |
|
|
Sec. 61.9752. REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED. The board |
|
|
shall provide, in accordance with this subchapter and board rules, |
|
|
assistance in the repayment of student loans for speech-language |
|
|
pathologists who apply and qualify for assistance. |
|
|
Sec. 61.9753. ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be eligible to receive |
|
|
repayment assistance, a speech-language pathologist must: |
|
|
(1) apply to the board; and |
|
|
(2) have been employed as a speech-language |
|
|
pathologist for at least one year by, and be currently employed |
|
|
full-time by, a public school at the time the speech-language |
|
|
pathologist applies for the assistance. |
|
|
(b) The board by rule may provide for repayment assistance |
|
|
on a pro rata basis for speech-language pathologists employed |
|
|
part-time by a public school. |
|
|
Sec. 61.9754. LIMITATION. (a) On qualifying for the |
|
|
assistance, a speech-language pathologist may receive repayment |
|
|
assistance grants for each year of employment by a public school, |
|
|
not to exceed five years. |
|
|
(b) The amount of repayment assistance grants that a |
|
|
speech-language pathologist may receive for each year of employment |
|
|
by a public school may not exceed 20 percent of the speech-language |
|
|
pathologist's total principal amount of student loans. |
|
|
Sec. 61.9755. ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The board may provide |
|
|
repayment assistance for the repayment of any student loan for |
|
|
education at an institution of higher education, including loans |
|
|
for undergraduate education, received by a speech-language |
|
|
pathologist through any lender. |
|
|
(b) The board may not provide repayment assistance for a |
|
|
student loan that is in default at the time of the speech-language |
|
|
pathologist's application. |
|
|
(c) Each state fiscal biennium, the board shall attempt to |
|
|
provide repayment assistance in amounts sufficient to use all the |
|
|
money appropriated to the board for that biennium for the purpose of |
|
|
providing repayment assistance under this subchapter. |
|
|
Sec. 61.9756. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any |
|
|
repayment made under this subchapter in a lump sum payable to the |
|
|
lender and the speech-language pathologist, in accordance with any |
|
|
applicable federal law. |
|
|
(b) A repayment made under this subchapter may be applied |
|
|
only to the principal amount of the loan. |
|
|
Sec. 61.9757. ADVISORY COMMITTEES. The board may appoint |
|
|
advisory committees to assist the board in administering this |
|
|
subchapter. |
|
|
Sec. 61.9758. ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS. The board may accept |
|
|
gifts, grants, and donations for the purposes of this subchapter. |
|
|
Sec. 61.9759. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules |
|
|
necessary for the administration of this subchapter. |
|
|
(b) The board shall distribute a copy of the rules adopted |
|
|
under this section and pertinent information regarding this |
|
|
subchapter to: |
|
|
(1) each institution of higher education; |
|
|
(2) any appropriate state agency; and |
|
|
(3) any appropriate professional association. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |