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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requiring a public employer to give notice to new |
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employees of the ability of certain employees to participate in the |
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Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 6, Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 620 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 620. NOTICE OF PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM |
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Sec. 620.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "public |
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employer" means: |
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(1) a county, a municipality, or another political |
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subdivision of this state, including a school district; or |
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(2) a board, a commission, an office, a department, or |
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another agency in the executive, judicial, or legislative branch of |
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state government, including an institution of higher education. |
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Sec. 620.002. NOTICE OF PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS |
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PROGRAM. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) and not later |
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than the 30th day after the date on which an employee begins |
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employment with a public employer, the employer shall provide |
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written notice to the employee of the ability of eligible employees |
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of the employer to participate in the Public Service Loan |
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Forgiveness Program administered by the United States Department of |
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Education. A public employer may deliver a written notice under |
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this section to an employee by hand delivery, mail, e-mail, or other |
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form of electronic communication commonly used by the employer to |
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communicate with employees. |
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(b) This section does not apply to a public employer if the |
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Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program administered by the United |
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States Department of Education is discontinued or funds are not |
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made available for the program. |
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SECTION 2. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this |
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section, Chapter 620, Government Code, as added by this Act, |
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applies to an employee who begins employment on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. |
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(b) A public employer, as defined by Section 620.001, |
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Government Code, as added by this Act, shall provide the written |
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notice described by Section 620.002, Government Code, as added by |
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this Act, to an employee employed by the employer on the effective |
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date of this Act not later than September 9, 2019. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |