81R2393 KJM-D
 
  By: Miklos H.B. No. 4253
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to higher education student loan repayment assistance for
  peace officers.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter II to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER II. PEACE OFFICER LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
         Sec. 61.9851.  DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "peace
  officer" has the meaning assigned by Article 2.12, Code of Criminal
  Procedure.
         Sec. 61.9852.  REPAYMENT AUTHORIZED. The board shall
  establish and administer a program to provide, in accordance with
  this subchapter and board rules, assistance in the repayment of
  student loans for persons who are employed as peace officers by
  state agencies or political subdivisions of this state and who
  apply and qualify for the assistance.
         Sec. 61.9853.  ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive
  repayment assistance under this subchapter, a person must:
               (1)  apply to the board;
               (2)  be a resident of this state;
               (3)  at the time of application for repayment
  assistance have been employed full-time for at least one year as,
  and be currently employed full-time as, a peace officer by a state
  agency or political subdivision of this state;
               (4)  have earned at least 60 hours of course credit at a
  public or private or independent institution of higher education in
  this state before becoming a peace officer; and
               (5)  comply with any additional requirement adopted by
  board rule.
         Sec. 61.9854.  LIMITATIONS.  (a) On qualifying for
  repayment assistance under this subchapter, a person may receive
  repayment assistance for each year of employment as a peace
  officer, not to exceed five years.
         (b)  The amount of repayment assistance that a person may
  receive for each year of employment as a peace officer may not
  exceed 20 percent of the peace officer's total amount of eligible
  loans as provided by Section 61.9855.
         (c)  The total amount of repayment assistance provided under
  this subchapter to a person may not exceed $20,000.
         (d)  The total amount of repayment assistance provided under
  this subchapter may not exceed the total amount of gifts and grants
  accepted by the board for the repayment assistance, legislative
  appropriations for the repayment assistance, and other funds
  available to the board for the repayment assistance.
         Sec. 61.9855.  ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The board may provide
  repayment assistance for the repayment of any student loan received
  by an eligible person through any lender for the cost of attendance
  at a public or private or independent institution of higher
  education for a semester or other term that ended not earlier than
  60 months before the date of the person initially becoming a peace
  officer.
         (b)  The board may withhold repayment assistance for a
  student loan that is in default at the time of the peace officer's
  application.
         (c)  The board may not provide repayment assistance for the
  repayment of a loan for the cost of attendance for credit hours a
  person earns after becoming a peace officer.
         Sec. 61.9856.  REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any
  repayment under this subchapter in a lump sum payable to the lender
  and the peace officer, in accordance with any applicable federal
  law.
         (b)  A repayment under this subchapter may be applied to any
  amount due in connection with the loan.
         Sec. 61.9857.  ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS. The board may solicit
  and accept gifts and grants from any source for the purposes of this
  subchapter.
         Sec. 61.9858.  RULES.  (a)  The board shall adopt rules as
  necessary to administer 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 public and private or independent institution
  of higher education in this state;
               (2)  any appropriate state agency; and
               (3)  any appropriate professional association.
         SECTION 2.  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
  shall adopt the rules for repayment assistance under Subchapter II,
  Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than
  December 1, 2009.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2009.