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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to student loan repayment assistance for speech-language |
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pathologists or audiologists employed by a public school or as |
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faculty members of certain graduate programs at public institutions |
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of higher education. |
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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 GG to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER GG. REPAYMENT OF CERTAIN SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST |
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AND AUDIOLOGIST EDUCATION LOANS |
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Sec. 61.9801. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Audiologist" means a person licensed as an |
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audiologist under Chapter 401, Occupations Code. |
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(2) "Communicative disorders program" means a |
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graduate degree program in audiology or speech-language pathology |
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accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology |
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and Speech-Language Pathology. |
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(3) "Public school" means a public preschool or |
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primary or secondary school in this state. |
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(4) "Speech-language pathologist" means a person |
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licensed as a speech-language pathologist under Chapter 401, |
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Occupations Code. |
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Sec. 61.9802. REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED. The board |
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shall provide, in accordance with this subchapter and board rules, |
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assistance in the repayment of student loans for speech-language |
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pathologists and audiologists who apply and qualify for assistance. |
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Sec. 61.9803. ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be eligible to receive |
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repayment assistance, a speech-language pathologist or an |
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audiologist must: |
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(1) apply to the board; and |
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(2) at the time the speech-language pathologist or |
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audiologist applies for the assistance: |
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(A) have been employed as a speech-language |
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pathologist or as an audiologist, as applicable, for at least one |
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year by, and be currently employed full-time in that capacity by, a |
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public school; or |
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(B) have been employed as a faculty member of a |
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communicative disorders program at an institution of higher |
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education for at least one year, and be currently employed |
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full-time in that capacity at such an institution. |
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(b) The board by rule may provide for repayment assistance |
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on a pro rata basis for speech-language pathologists and |
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audiologists employed part-time by a public school or institution |
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of higher education. |
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Sec. 61.9804. LIMITATION. (a) On qualifying for the |
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assistance, a speech-language pathologist or an audiologist may |
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receive repayment assistance grants for each year of employment, |
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not to exceed five years, by: |
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(1) a public school; or |
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(2) a communicative disorders program at an |
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institution of higher education. |
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(b) The amount of repayment assistance grants that a |
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speech-language pathologist or an audiologist may receive for each |
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year of employment by a public school or a communicative disorders |
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program at an institution of higher education may not exceed 20 |
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percent of the speech-language pathologist's or audiologist's total |
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principal amount of student loans. |
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(c) The total amount of repayment assistance grants |
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received by a speech-language pathologist or an audiologist under |
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this subchapter may not exceed $30,000 for an eligible recipient |
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who holds a master's degree but not a doctoral degree, or $45,000 |
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for an eligible recipient who holds a doctoral degree. |
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Sec. 61.9805. ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The board may provide |
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repayment assistance for the repayment of any student loan for |
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education at an institution of higher education, including loans |
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for undergraduate education, received by a speech-language |
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pathologist or an audiologist through any lender. |
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(b) The board may not provide repayment assistance for a |
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student loan that is in default at the time of the speech-language |
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pathologist's or audiologist's application. |
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(c) Each state fiscal biennium, the board shall attempt to |
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provide repayment assistance in amounts sufficient to use all the |
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money appropriated to the board for that biennium for the purpose of |
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providing repayment assistance under this subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.9806. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any |
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repayment made under this subchapter in a lump sum payable to the |
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lender and the speech-language pathologist or audiologist, in |
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accordance with any applicable federal law. |
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(b) A repayment made under this subchapter may be applied |
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only to the principal amount of the loan. |
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Sec. 61.9807. ADVISORY COMMITTEES. The board may appoint |
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advisory committees to assist the board in administering this |
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subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.9808. ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS. The board may accept |
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gifts, grants, and donations for the purposes of this subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.9809. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules |
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necessary for the administration of 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 institution of higher education; |
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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. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |