LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 84TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 24, 2015

TO:	Honorable John Zerwas, Chair, House Committee on Higher Education
FROM:	Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2624 by Turner, Chris (Relating to the effects of default on a student loan administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on renewal of certain licenses.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill relates to defaults on student loans administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (Board) and to the effects of such defaults on the renewal of certain professional and occupational licenses. The bill would provide a mechanism by which the Board, in coordination with licensing agencies, would identify licensees who are in default on loans administered by the Board.  Under provisions of the bill, the Board would identify which licensing agencies would be subject to this provision. The selected licensing agencies would not renew the licenses of such persons unless the licensees entered into an agreement with the Board to repay the defaulted loan.

Based on information provided by the Higher Education Coordinating Board regarding the licensing agencies, which included the Department of Licensing and Regulation, the Department of State Health Services, and the State Board of Nursing, provisions of the bill could be implemented within existing resources. Several agencies indicated that they had existing nonrenewal procedures in place in regards to loans administed by the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation which could be duplicated.  

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

360 State Office of Administrative Hearings, 452 Department of Licensing and Regulation, 457 Board of Public Accountancy, 458 Alcoholic Beverage Commission, 459 Board of Architectural Examiners, 460 Board of Professional Engineers, 464 Board of Professional Land Surveying, 481 Board of Professional Geoscientists, 507 Texas Board of Nursing, 508 Board of Chiropractic Examiners, 512 Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners, 514 Optometry Board, 515 Board of Pharmacy, 520 Board of Examiners of Psychologists, 578 Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 302 Office of the Attorney General, 454 Department of Insurance, 456 Board of Plumbing Examiners, 503 Texas Medical Board, 504 Texas State Board of Dental Examiners, 537 State Health Services, Department of, 539 Aging and Disability Services, Department of, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board

LBB Staff:

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