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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 health |
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care workers employed in rural counties. |
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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 L-1 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER L-1. REPAYMENT OF EDUCATION LOANS FOR RURAL HEALTH CARE |
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WORKERS |
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Sec. 61.671. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Health care worker" means a person who furnishes |
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health care services in direct patient care situations under a |
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license, certificate, or registration issued by this state or a |
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person providing direct patient care in the course of a training or |
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educational program. |
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(2) "Rural county" means a county in this state with a |
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population of less than 100,000. |
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Sec. 61.672. LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED. The |
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board shall provide, in accordance with this subchapter and board |
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rules, assistance in the repayment of eligible student loans for |
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eligible health care workers who apply and qualify for the |
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assistance. |
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Sec. 61.673. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive loan |
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repayment assistance under this subchapter, a health care worker |
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may not be receiving loan repayment assistance under another |
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program administered by the board and must: |
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(1) apply to the board in a manner prescribed by the |
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board; |
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(2) at the time of application for repayment |
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assistance be employed full-time as a health care worker in a rural |
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county; and |
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(3) commit to full-time employment as a health care |
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worker in a rural county for not less than two years after the |
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health care worker receives the loan repayment lump sum under |
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Section 61.676. |
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Sec. 61.674. LIMITATIONS. A health care worker may receive |
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loan repayment assistance under this subchapter for not more than |
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four years. |
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Sec. 61.675. ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The board may provide |
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loan repayment assistance under this subchapter for the repayment |
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of any student loan for education at an institution of higher |
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education, a private or independent institution of higher |
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education, or a public or private out-of-state institution of |
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higher education accredited by a recognized accrediting agency, |
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including loans for undergraduate education, received by an |
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eligible person 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 person's |
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application. |
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(c) In each state fiscal biennium, the board shall attempt |
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to allocate all funds appropriated to the board for the purpose of |
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providing loan repayment assistance under this subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.676. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any |
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repayment under this subchapter in a lump sum payable: |
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(1) to both the lender or other holder of the loan and |
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the health care worker; or |
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(2) directly to the lender or other holder of the loan |
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on the health care worker's behalf. |
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(b) A repayment under this subchapter may be applied to any |
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amount due in connection with the loan. |
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Sec. 61.677. AMOUNT OF REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE. (a) A health |
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care worker may receive loan repayment assistance under this |
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subchapter for each year the health care worker establishes |
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eligibility for the assistance in an amount determined by the |
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board. |
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(b) The board by rule shall determine the maximum amount of |
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loan repayment assistance received by a health care worker under |
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this subchapter in any one year. |
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(c) The total amount of loan repayment assistance provided |
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under this subchapter may not exceed the sum of: |
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(1) the total amount of gifts and grants accepted by |
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the board for the repayment assistance; |
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(2) legislative appropriations for the repayment |
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assistance; and |
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(3) other funds available to the board for the |
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repayment assistance. |
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(d) The board may adjust in an equitable manner the |
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distribution amounts that health care workers would otherwise |
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receive under Subsection (a) for a year as necessary to comply with |
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Subsection (c). |
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Sec. 61.678. RULES; ADMINISTRATION. (a) The board shall |
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adopt rules necessary to administer this subchapter. |
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(b) The board shall distribute to each institution of higher |
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education or private or independent institution of higher education |
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and to any appropriate state agency and professional association |
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copies of the rules adopted under this section and other pertinent |
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information relating to this subchapter. |
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(c) The board shall administer the program under this |
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subchapter in a manner that maximizes any matching funds available |
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through other sources. |
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(d) A reasonable amount, not to exceed three percent, of any |
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money appropriated for purposes of this subchapter may be used to |
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pay the costs of administering this subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.679. SOLICITATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF FUNDS. The |
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board may solicit and accept gifts and grants from any public or |
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private source for the purposes of this subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |