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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to repayment of certain mental health professional |
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education loans. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 61.603(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) To be eligible to receive repayment assistance under |
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this subchapter, a mental health professional must: |
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(1) apply to the board; |
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(2) have completed one, two, or three[, four, or five] |
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consecutive years of practice in a mental health professional |
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shortage area designated by the Department of State Health |
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Services; and |
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(3) provide mental health services in this state to: |
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(A) recipients under the medical assistance |
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program authorized by Chapter 32, Human Resources Code; |
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(B) enrollees under the child health plan program |
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authorized by Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code; or |
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(C) persons committed to a secure correctional |
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facility operated by or under contract with the Texas Juvenile |
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Justice Department or persons confined in a secure correctional |
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facility operated by or under contract with any division of the |
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Texas Department of Criminal Justice. |
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SECTION 2. Section 61.604(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A mental health professional may receive repayment |
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assistance under this subchapter for not more than three [five] |
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years. |
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SECTION 3. Section 61.607(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A mental health professional may receive repayment |
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assistance under this subchapter for each year the mental health |
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professional establishes eligibility for the assistance in an |
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amount determined by applying the following applicable percentage |
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to the maximum total amount of assistance allowed for the mental |
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health professional under Subsection (b): |
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(1) for the first year, 33.33 [10] percent; |
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(2) for the second year, 33.33 [15] percent; and |
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(3) for the third year, 33.33 [20] percent[; |
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[(4) for the fourth year, 25 percent; and |
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[(5) for the fifth year, 30 percent]. |
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SECTION 4. Section 61.608, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: |
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(e) The board shall administer the program under this |
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subchapter in a manner that, as program openings occur, allows for |
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the continuous: |
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(1) approval or disapproval of applications; |
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(2) determination of applicant eligibility; and |
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(3) acceptance of eligible applicants into the |
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program. |
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SECTION 5. Section 61.603(b), Education Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act to Sections |
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61.603 and 61.607(a), Education Code, apply only to a person who |
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first establishes eligibility for loan repayment assistance under |
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Subchapter K, Chapter 61, Education Code, as amended by this Act, on |
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the basis of an application submitted on or after September 1, 2023. |
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A person who first establishes eligibility on the basis of an |
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application submitted before September 1, 2023, is governed by the |
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law in effect at the time the application was submitted, and the |
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former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |