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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 certain child |
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protective services workers. |
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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. REPAYMENT OF CERTAIN CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES |
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CASEWORKER LOANS |
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Sec. 61.9851. REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED. (a) The |
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board may provide, using funds appropriated for that purpose and in |
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accordance with this subchapter and board rules, assistance in the |
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repayment of student loans for persons who apply and qualify for the |
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assistance. |
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(b) The provision of financial assistance in the repayment |
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of student loans under this subchapter promotes a public purpose. |
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Sec. 61.9852. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive |
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repayment assistance, a child protective services caseworker must: |
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(1) apply to the board; and |
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(2) have been employed for at least one year as, and be |
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currently employed full-time as, a direct delivery caseworker at |
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the Department of Family and Protective Services. |
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Sec. 61.9853. AMOUNT OF REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE; LIMITATION. |
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(a) For each year that a child protective services caseworker is |
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employed full-time and serves as a direct delivery caseworker at |
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the Department of Family and Protective Services, the caseworker |
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may receive repayment assistance under this subchapter in an amount |
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not to exceed $5,000. |
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(b) A child protective services caseworker may not receive |
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repayment assistance under this subchapter for more than four |
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years. |
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(c) If money will not be sufficient to provide repayment |
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assistance to each eligible applicant, the board shall award |
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repayment assistance to eligible applicants by prioritizing awards |
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to applicants employed in regions of this state experiencing the |
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highest turnover. |
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Sec. 61.9854. 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 a public or private institution of higher education, |
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including loans for undergraduate and graduate education, issued |
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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 caseworker's |
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application. |
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Sec. 61.9855. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any |
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repayment assistance made under this subchapter in a lump sum |
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directly to the lender and in accordance with any applicable |
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federal law. |
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(b) Repayment assistance received under this subchapter may |
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be applied to the principal amount of the loan and to interest that |
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accrues. |
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Sec. 61.9856. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. The board may appoint an |
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advisory committee from outside the board's membership to assist |
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the board in performing its duties under this subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.9857. FUNDING. (a) The repayment assistance |
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program established by this subchapter is funded from the child |
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protective services caseworker student loan assistance trust fund. |
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The trust fund is established outside the treasury and is |
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administered by the comptroller. Money in the trust fund may be |
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spent without appropriation and only to fund the program. Interest |
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and income from the assets of the trust fund shall be credited to |
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and deposited in the trust fund. |
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(b) The board may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and |
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donations from any public or private source for the purposes of this |
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subchapter and shall deposit money accepted under this subsection |
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to the credit of the trust fund. |
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(c) The legislature may appropriate money to the trust fund. |
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Sec. 61.9858. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules |
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necessary for the administration of this subchapter, including a |
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rule that establishes the amount of repayment assistance awarded to |
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a caseworker each year. |
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(b) The board shall distribute to each institution of higher |
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education, the Department of Family and Protective Services, and |
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appropriate professional associations copies of the rules adopted |
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under this section and pertinent information in this subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall adopt the rules for the repayment assistance program under |
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Subchapter II, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, not |
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later than December 1, 2013. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |