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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to repayment assistance for certain physician education |
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loans. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 61.532, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.532. ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be eligible to receive |
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repayment assistance, a physician must apply to the coordinating |
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board, have graduated from a medical school of an institution of |
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higher education, and have completed at least one year of medical |
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practice: |
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(1) in private practice in an economically depressed |
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or rural medically underserved area of the state; |
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(2) for one of the following state agencies: |
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(A) the [Texas] Department of State Health |
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Services; |
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(B) the [Texas] Department of Aging and |
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Disability Services [Mental Health and Mental Retardation]; |
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(C) the Texas Department of Criminal Justice |
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[Corrections]; or |
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(D) the Texas Youth Commission; [or] |
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(3) for an approved family practice residency training |
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program established under Subchapter I as a clinical faculty member |
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and have completed training in an approved family practice |
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residency training program on or after July 1, 1994; or |
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(4) in primary care or in a medical specialty of acute |
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physician shortage, as determined by the coordinating board in |
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consultation with the Department of State Health Services, and in: |
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(A) a hospital or clinic with a patient |
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population of whom at least 50 percent are uninsured or receive |
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Medicaid; or |
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(B) a public hospital, as defined by Section |
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61.002, Health and Safety Code. |
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(b) The coordinating board may by rule provide for repayment |
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assistance on a pro rata basis for physicians practicing as |
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described by Subsection (a)(2), (3), or (4) on a part-time basis |
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[for an approved family practice residency training program
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established under Subchapter I of this chapter or a state agency
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specified in Subsection (a) of this section]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 61.537(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The coordinating board shall adopt rules necessary for |
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the administration of this subchapter, including rules [a rule] |
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that: |
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(1) set an appropriate [sets a] maximum amount of |
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repayment assistance that may be received by a physician in one |
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year, except that the maximum amount of repayment assistance that |
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may be received in one year by a physician who establishes |
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eligibility under Section 61.532(a)(4) may not exceed 33 percent of |
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the total amount of the physician's eligible loans under Section |
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61.534 or $35,000, whichever amount is less; |
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(2) authorize [and a rule that authorizes] the Family |
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Practice Residency Advisory Committee to establish priorities |
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among eligible physicians for repayment assistance, by |
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considering: |
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(A) [taking into account] the degree of physician |
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shortage; |
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(B) [,] geographic locations; |
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(C) [,] whether the physician is or will be |
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providing service in an economically depressed or rural [a] |
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medically underserved area or service as described by Section |
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61.532(a)(4);[,] and |
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(D) other criteria the committee considers |
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appropriate; and |
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(3) administer the program under this subchapter in a |
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manner that maximizes any matching funds available through the |
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National Health Service Corps program of the United States |
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Department of Health and Human Services. |
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SECTION 3. Section 61.539, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(b) The amount set aside shall be transferred to the |
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comptroller of public accounts to be maintained in the state |
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treasury for the sole purpose of repayment of student loans of a |
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physician serving: |
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(1) in a designated state agency; |
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(2) [or] in an area of this state that is economically |
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depressed or that is a medically underserved area or health |
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professional shortage area, as designated by the United States |
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Department of Health and Human Services, that has a current |
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shortage of physicians; or |
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(3) as described by Section 61.532(a)(4). |
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(b-1) Section 403.095, Government Code, does not apply to |
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the amount set aside by this section. |
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SECTION 4. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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adopt rules necessary to administer Subchapter J, Chapter 61, |
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Education Code, as amended by this Act. |
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SECTION 5. 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. |