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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to higher education student loan repayment assistance for |
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peace officers. |
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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 II to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER II. PEACE OFFICER LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM |
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Sec. 61.9851. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "peace |
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officer" has the meaning assigned by Article 2.12, Code of Criminal |
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Procedure. |
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Sec. 61.9852. REPAYMENT AUTHORIZED. The board shall |
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establish and administer a program to provide, in accordance with |
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this subchapter and board rules, assistance in the repayment of |
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student loans for persons who are employed as peace officers by |
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state agencies or political subdivisions of this state and who |
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apply and qualify for the assistance. |
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Sec. 61.9853. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive |
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repayment assistance under this subchapter, a person must: |
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(1) apply to the board; |
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(2) be a resident of this state; |
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(3) at the time of application for repayment |
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assistance have been employed full-time for at least one year as, |
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and be currently employed full-time as, a peace officer by a state |
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agency or political subdivision of this state; |
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(4) have earned at least 60 hours of course credit at a |
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public or private or independent institution of higher education in |
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this state before becoming a peace officer; and |
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(5) comply with any additional requirement adopted by |
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board rule. |
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Sec. 61.9854. LIMITATIONS. (a) On qualifying for |
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repayment assistance under this subchapter, a person may receive |
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repayment assistance for each year of employment as a peace |
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officer, not to exceed five years. |
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(b) The amount of repayment assistance that a person may |
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receive for each year of employment as a peace officer may not |
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exceed 20 percent of the peace officer's total amount of eligible |
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loans as provided by Section 61.9855. |
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(c) The total amount of repayment assistance provided under |
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this subchapter to a person may not exceed $20,000. |
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(d) The total amount of repayment assistance provided under |
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this subchapter may not exceed the total amount of gifts and grants |
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accepted by the board for the repayment assistance, legislative |
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appropriations for the repayment assistance, and other funds |
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available to the board for the repayment assistance. |
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Sec. 61.9855. ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The board may provide |
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repayment assistance for the repayment of any student loan received |
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by an eligible person through any lender for the cost of attendance |
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at a public or private or independent institution of higher |
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education for a semester or other term that ended not earlier than |
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60 months before the date of the person initially becoming a peace |
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officer. |
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(b) The board may withhold repayment assistance for a |
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student loan that is in default at the time of the peace officer's |
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application. |
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(c) The board may not provide repayment assistance for the |
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repayment of a loan for the cost of attendance for credit hours a |
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person earns after becoming a peace officer. |
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Sec. 61.9856. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any |
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repayment under this subchapter in a lump sum payable to the lender |
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and the peace officer, in accordance with any applicable federal |
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law. |
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(b) A repayment under this subchapter may be applied to any |
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amount due in connection with the loan. |
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Sec. 61.9857. ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS. The board may solicit |
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and accept gifts and grants from any source for the purposes of this |
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subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.9858. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules as |
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necessary to administer this subchapter. |
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(b) The board shall distribute a copy of the rules adopted |
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under this section and pertinent information regarding this |
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subchapter to: |
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(1) each public and private or independent institution |
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of higher education in this state; |
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(2) any appropriate state agency; and |
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(3) any appropriate professional association. |
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SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall adopt the rules for repayment assistance under Subchapter II, |
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Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than |
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December 1, 2009. |
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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, 2009. |