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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 II to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER II. REPAYMENT OF CERTAIN SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST |
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AND AUDIOLOGIST EDUCATION LOANS |
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Sec. 61.9811. 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: |
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(A) a graduate degree program in audiology or |
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speech-language pathology accredited by the Council on Academic |
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Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology; or |
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(B) an undergraduate degree program that |
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prepares and qualifies students for admission to a graduate degree |
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program described by Paragraph (A). |
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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. 61.9812. 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. 61.9813. 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 or private or independent institution of higher education |
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for at least one year, and be currently employed full-time in that |
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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. 61.9814. 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 or private or independent |
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institution of higher education. |
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(b) For each applicable year of employment described by |
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Subsection (a), 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: |
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(1) $6,000 for an eligible recipient who holds a |
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master's degree but not a doctoral degree; or |
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(2) $9,000 for an eligible recipient who holds a |
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doctoral degree. |
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Sec. 61.9815. ELIGIBLE LOANS. The board may provide |
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repayment assistance for the repayment of any student loan for |
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graduate-level education at any public or private institution of |
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higher education in or outside of this state received by an eligible |
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speech-language pathologist or audiologist through any lender. |
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Sec. 61.9816. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any |
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repayment made under this subchapter in a lump sum payable to: |
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(1) the lender and the speech-language pathologist or |
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audiologist, in accordance with any applicable federal law; or |
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(2) the lender or other holder of the loan on behalf of |
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the speech-language pathologist or audiologist. |
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(b) A repayment made under this subchapter may be applied to |
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the principal amount and accrued interest of the loan. |
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Sec. 61.9817. 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. 61.9818. PROGRAM FUNDING. (a) The program is funded |
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only from appropriations made specifically to fund the program and |
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from gifts and grants. The board shall attempt to provide repayment |
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assistance in each state fiscal biennium in amounts sufficient to |
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use all amounts appropriated for the program in that biennium. |
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(b) The board may solicit and accept gifts and grants for |
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the purposes of this subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.9819. 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 appropriate institution of higher education |
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or private or independent 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, 2013. |