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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the name and function of the rural veterinarian |
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incentive program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter G, Chapter 56, |
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Education Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER G. RURAL AND SHELTER VETERINARIAN INCENTIVE PROGRAM |
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SECTION 2. Section 56.101, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 56.101. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Account" means the rural and shelter veterinarian |
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incentive program account. |
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(2) "College" means a college of veterinary medicine |
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located in this state and accredited by the American Veterinary |
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Medical Association Council on Education. |
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(3) "Committee" means the rural and shelter |
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veterinarian incentive program committee. |
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(4) "Eligible participant" means a person eligible to |
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participate in the program under Section 56.104. |
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(5) "General academic teaching institution" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 61.003. |
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(6) "High-quality, high-volume spay and neuter |
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clinic" means an animal shelter or a veterinary clinic that: |
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(A) spays or neuters, on average, at least 40 |
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dogs per business day; and |
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(B) charges a below-market fee for a spay or |
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neuter procedure. |
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(7) "Program" means the rural and shelter veterinarian |
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incentive program established by this subchapter. |
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(8) [(7)] "Rural county" means a county in this state |
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with a population of less than 150,000. |
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(9) "Shelter medicine" includes all areas of |
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veterinary practice relevant to the care and management of stray, |
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homeless, abandoned, or unwanted animals. |
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(10) [(8)] "University system" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 61.003. |
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SECTION 3. The heading to Section 56.103, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 56.103. RURAL AND SHELTER VETERINARIAN INCENTIVE |
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PROGRAM COMMITTEE; RULES. |
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SECTION 4. Section 56.103, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsection (f) to read |
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as follows: |
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(a) The rural and shelter veterinarian incentive program |
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committee consists of: |
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(1) the executive director of the Texas Animal Health |
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Commission, or the executive director's designee; |
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(2) the executive director of the State Board of |
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Veterinary Medical Examiners, or the executive director's |
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designee; |
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(3) the dean of each accredited college of veterinary |
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medicine located in this state, or the dean's designee; |
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(4) a veterinarian with a mixed animal practice, |
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representing each university system located in Texas with an |
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accredited college of veterinary medicine, appointed by the board |
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of regents of each university system; |
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(5) a veterinarian with a large animal practice, |
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representing each university system located in Texas with an |
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accredited college of veterinary medicine, appointed by the board |
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of regents of each university system; [and] |
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(6) a practitioner of veterinary medicine who serves |
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as a commissioner of the Texas Animal Health Commission, appointed |
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by the chair of the Texas Animal Health Commission; and |
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(7) two shelter medicine practitioners who are |
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associated with an animal shelter, appointed by the president of |
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the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. |
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(d) The committee shall adopt rules: |
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(1) establishing criteria to determine whether a |
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person is an eligible participant as the committee considers |
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reasonable, including the person's: |
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(A) background and interest in rural practice or |
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shelter medicine; and |
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(B) financial need; |
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(2) providing for requesting the distribution of money |
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from the account for the program; |
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(3) establishing the criteria necessary [for a |
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community or political subdivision in a rural county] to qualify as |
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a student sponsor under Section 56.105; |
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(4) governing agreements of financial support between |
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a [rural] sponsor and an eligible student; and |
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(5) establishing other procedures necessary to |
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administer the program. |
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(f) In adopting rules under this section, the committee: |
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(1) is not required to disburse money under the |
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program evenly among all eligible participants; and |
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(2) shall ensure that financial assistance provided |
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under the program provides the maximum benefit to communities by |
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filling areas of need in large-animal, mixed-animal, or shelter |
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medicine practice. |
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SECTION 5. The heading to Section 56.105, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 56.105. [RURAL] SPONSORS; AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE |
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FINANCIAL SUPPORT. |
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SECTION 6. Sections 56.105(a) and (b), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A community or political subdivision located in a rural |
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county or any community or political subdivision within which a |
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high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter clinic is located that |
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qualifies under the rules of the committee may become a sponsor of |
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an eligible participant and may provide financial support to the |
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eligible participant under the program. |
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(b) To participate as a sponsor in the program, the |
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community or political subdivision must enter into an agreement |
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with the eligible participant to provide financial support to the |
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eligible participant in an amount not less than the tuition and fees |
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required for a full academic year for a student enrolled in a |
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college in exchange for the eligible participant's agreement to |
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practice veterinary medicine: |
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(1) in a rural county, anywhere in the sponsoring |
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community or political subdivision; or |
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(2) in a high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter |
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clinic located in the sponsoring community or political |
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subdivision. |
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SECTION 7. The heading to Section 56.106, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 56.106. FINANCIAL SUPPORT; COMMITMENT TO PRACTICE IN |
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RURAL COUNTY OR HIGH-QUALITY, HIGH-VOLUME SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC. |
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SECTION 8. Section 56.106(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) To participate in the program, an eligible participant |
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must enter into an agreement with the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board that: |
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(1) requires the participant to practice veterinary |
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medicine in a rural county or in a high-quality, high-volume spay |
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and neuter clinic for one calendar year for each academic year for |
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which the participant receives financial support under the program; |
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(2) specifies the conditions the participant must |
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satisfy to receive financial support under the program; |
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(3) provides that any financial support the |
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participant receives under the program constitutes a loan until the |
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participant satisfies the conditions of the agreement; and |
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(4) requires the participant to sign a promissory note |
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acknowledging the conditional nature of the financial support |
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received under the program and promising to repay the amount of the |
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financial support, any applicable interest, and reasonable |
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collection costs if the participant does not satisfy the conditions |
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of the agreement. |
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SECTION 9. The heading to Section 61.9965, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.9965. RURAL AND SHELTER VETERINARIAN INCENTIVE |
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PROGRAM ACCOUNT. |
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SECTION 10. Sections 61.9965(a) and (b), Education Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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administer the rural and shelter veterinarian incentive program |
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account in accordance with Subchapter G, Chapter 56, to provide |
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assistance in the repayment of student loans for eligible |
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veterinarians who apply and qualify for the assistance under the |
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rules of the Texas Animal Health Commission rural and shelter |
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veterinarian incentive program committee. |
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(b) The rural and shelter veterinarian incentive program |
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account is an account in the general revenue fund. The account is |
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composed of: |
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(1) gifts, grants, in-kind contributions, or real or |
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personal property contributed to the account from any individual, |
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group, association, or corporation or the United States, subject to |
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limitations or conditions set by law, for the purposes of this |
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subchapter; |
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(2) earnings on the principal of the account; and |
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(3) other amounts deposited to the credit of the |
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account, including: |
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(A) money deposited from a community or political |
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subdivision that qualifies under the rules authorized by Section |
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56.105 to become a sponsor of an eligible participant under the |
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program; and |
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(B) legislative appropriations deposited to the |
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account. |
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SECTION 11. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |