Bill Text: IA HF2615 | 2019-2020 | 88th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act establishing a rural veterinarian loan repayment program for veterinary students and certain licensed veterinarians and a rural veterinary care trust fund, and making appropriations. (Formerly HF 2448, HF 2350.)
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-06-11 - Withdrawn. H.J. 711. [HF2615 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2019-HF2615-Introduced.html
House
File
2615
-
Introduced
HOUSE
FILE
2615
BY
COMMITTEE
ON
APPROPRIATIONS
(SUCCESSOR
TO
HF
2448)
(SUCCESSOR
TO
HF
2350)
(COMPANION
TO
SF
2398
BY
COMMITTEE
ON
APPROPRIATIONS)
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
establishing
a
rural
veterinarian
loan
repayment
1
program
for
veterinary
students
and
certain
licensed
2
veterinarians
and
a
rural
veterinary
care
trust
fund,
and
3
making
appropriations.
4
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
5
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Section
1.
NEW
SECTION
.
261.120
Rural
veterinarian
loan
1
repayment
program
——
fund
——
appropriations.
2
1.
Definitions.
For
purposes
of
this
section,
unless
the
3
context
otherwise
requires:
4
a.
“Eligible
loan”
means
the
veterinarian’s
total
federally
5
guaranteed
Stafford
loan
amount
under
the
federal
family
6
education
loan
program
or
the
federal
direct
loan
program,
or
7
the
recipient’s
federal
grad
plus
loans,
including
principal
8
and
interest.
9
b.
“Practice
of
food
supply
veterinary
medicine”
includes
10
corporate
and
private
practices
devoted
to
food
animal
11
medicine,
mixed
animal
medicine
located
in
a
rural
area,
food
12
safety,
epidemiology,
public
health,
animal
health,
and
other
13
public
and
private
practices
that
contribute
to
the
production
14
of
a
safe
and
wholesome
food
supply.
15
c.
“Rural
service
commitment
area”
means
a
city
in
Iowa
16
with
a
population
of
less
than
twenty-six
thousand
that
is
17
located
more
than
twenty
miles
from
a
city
with
a
population
of
18
fifty
thousand
or
more
and
which
provides
a
dollar
contribution
19
equivalent
to
twelve
and
one-half
percent
of
the
veterinarian’s
20
total
eligible
loan
amount
upon
graduation
for
deposit
in
the
21
rural
veterinary
care
trust
fund.
22
d.
“
Veterinary
shortage
area”
means
a
designated
veterinary
23
service
shortage
situation
in
Iowa
identified
and
nominated
24
by
the
state
veterinarian,
or
recommended
for
designation
in
25
accordance
with
the
federal
National
Veterinary
Medical
Service
26
Act,
7
U.S.C.
§3101
et
seq.,
and
published
by
the
United
States
27
department
of
agriculture.
28
2.
Program
established.
A
rural
veterinarian
loan
29
repayment
program
is
established
to
be
administered
by
the
30
college
student
aid
commission
for
purposes
of
providing
31
loan
repayments
for
individuals
who
agree
to
practice
32
as
veterinarians
in
rural
service
commitment
areas
or
in
33
veterinary
shortage
areas
in
Iowa
for
four
years
and
meet
the
34
requirements
of
this
section.
The
commission
shall
adopt
35
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rules
pursuant
to
chapter
17A
to
administer
this
section.
1
The
commission
may
accept
gifts,
grants,
bequests,
and
other
2
private
contributions,
as
well
as
state
or
federal
moneys,
for
3
deposit
in
the
fund
created
under
subsection
10.
4
3.
Eligibility.
5
a.
An
individual
is
eligible
to
apply
to
enter
into
a
6
program
agreement
with
the
commission
if
the
individual
meets
7
any
of
the
following
requirements:
8
(1)
Is
enrolled
in
the
final
year
of
a
veterinary
degree
9
program
at
a
college
of
veterinary
medicine
accredited
by
the
10
American
veterinary
medical
association
council
on
education.
11
(2)
Is
a
veterinarian
licensed
pursuant
to
chapter
169
12
who,
within
five
years
of
applying
for
this
program,
received
13
a
veterinary
medicine
degree
from
a
college
of
veterinary
14
medicine
accredited
by
the
American
veterinary
medical
15
association
council
on
education.
16
b.
An
individual
who
participated
in
and
received
loan
17
repayment
awards
through
the
veterinary
medicine
loan
repayment
18
program
administered
by
the
United
States
department
of
19
agriculture,
national
institute
of
food
and
agriculture,
20
is
ineligible
to
enter
into
a
program
agreement
under
this
21
section.
22
4.
Program
agreements.
A
program
agreement
shall
be
entered
23
into
by
an
individual
and
the
commission
if
the
individual
24
meets
the
requirements
of
subsection
3.
Under
the
agreement,
25
to
receive
loan
repayments
pursuant
to
subsection
6,
the
26
individual
shall
fulfill
all
of
the
following
requirements:
27
a.
Receive
or
possess
a
doctor
of
veterinary
medicine,
28
or
the
equivalent,
from
a
college
of
veterinary
medicine
29
accredited
by
the
American
veterinary
medical
association
30
council
on
education.
31
b.
Possess,
or
apply
for
and
obtain,
a
license
to
practice
32
veterinary
medicine
under
chapter
169.
33
c.
Secure
an
offer
of
employment
or
establish
and
maintain
34
a
practice
in
a
veterinary
shortage
situation
or
rural
service
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commitment
area
and
engage
in
the
full-time
practice
of
1
veterinary
medicine
for
a
period
of
four
consecutive
years
2
after
entering
into
the
agreement
in
the
veterinary
shortage
3
area
or
rural
service
commitment
area,
unless
the
loan
4
repayment
recipient
receives
a
waiver
from
the
commission
to
5
complete
the
years
of
practice
required
under
the
agreement
in
6
another
veterinary
shortage
area
or
rural
service
commitment
7
area
pursuant
to
subsection
7.
8
5.
Priority
to
certain
applicants.
The
commission
shall
9
give
priority
to
applicants
who
graduated
from
a
high
school
in
10
Iowa
or
completed
private
instruction
under
chapter
299A.
11
6.
Loan
repayment
amounts.
12
a.
Unless
the
agreement
entered
into
under
subsection
13
4
stipulates
otherwise,
the
amount
of
loan
repayment
an
14
individual
who
enters
into
an
agreement
shall
receive
if
in
15
compliance
with
obligations
under
the
agreement
shall
not
16
exceed
fifteen
thousand
dollars
annually
for
an
eligible
17
loan.
Payments
under
this
section
may
be
made
for
each
year
18
of
eligible
practice
during
a
period
of
four
consecutive
years
19
and
shall
not
exceed
a
total
of
sixty
thousand
dollars
or
the
20
amount
of
outstanding
eligible
loans,
whichever
amount
is
less.
21
b.
Subject
to
the
availability
of
funding
for
this
22
purpose,
the
commission
shall
enter
into
at
least
five
program
23
agreements
annually.
24
7.
Selection
of
rural
service
commitment
area
or
veterinary
25
shortage
area.
A
loan
repayment
recipient
shall
notify
the
26
commission
of
the
recipient’s
rural
service
commitment
area
27
or
veterinary
shortage
area
prior
to
beginning
practice
in
28
the
area
in
accordance
with
subsection
4,
paragraph
“c”
.
The
29
commission
may
waive
the
requirement
that
the
loan
repayment
30
recipient
practice
in
the
same
rural
service
commitment
area
or
31
veterinary
shortage
area
for
all
four
years.
32
8.
Rural
service
commitment
area
or
veterinarian
shortage
33
area
priority.
34
a.
When
possible,
the
commission
shall
enter
into
agreements
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under
subsection
4
with
individuals
who
agree
to
practice
in
1
areas
in
the
following
priority
order:
2
(1)
Private
practice
food
supply
veterinary
medicine
in
any
3
veterinary
shortage
area.
4
(2)
Private
practice
food
supply
veterinary
medicine
in
a
5
city
in
Iowa
with
a
population
of
less
than
twenty-six
thousand
6
that
is
located
more
than
twenty
miles
from
a
city
with
a
7
population
of
fifty
thousand
or
more,
especially
in
remote
or
8
economically
depressed
rural
areas.
9
(3)
Animal
veterinary
medicine
in
a
rural
service
10
commitment
area.
11
b.
Notwithstanding
paragraph
“a”
,
the
commission
may
consult
12
with
the
state
veterinarian
to
determine
prioritization
in
13
accordance
with
this
subsection.
14
9.
Postponement
and
satisfaction
of
service
obligation.
15
a.
The
obligation
to
engage
in
practice
in
accordance
with
16
subsection
4
shall
be
postponed
for
the
following
purposes:
17
(1)
Active
duty
status
in
the
armed
forces,
the
armed
forces
18
military
reserve,
or
the
national
guard.
19
(2)
Service
in
volunteers
in
service
to
America.
20
(3)
Service
in
the
federal
peace
corps.
21
(4)
A
period
of
rural
service
commitment
to
the
United
22
States
public
health
service
commissioned
corps.
23
(5)
A
period
of
religious
missionary
work
conducted
by
an
24
organization
exempt
from
federal
income
taxation
pursuant
to
25
section
501(c)(3)
of
the
Internal
Revenue
Code.
26
(6)
Any
period
of
temporary
medical
incapacity
during
which
27
the
person
obligated
is
unable,
due
to
a
medical
condition,
to
28
engage
in
full-time
practice
as
required
under
subsection
4,
29
paragraph
“c”
.
30
b.
Except
for
a
postponement
under
paragraph
“a”
,
31
subparagraph
(6),
an
obligation
to
engage
in
practice
under
an
32
agreement
entered
into
pursuant
to
subsection
4
shall
not
be
33
postponed
for
more
than
two
years
from
the
time
the
full-time
34
practice
was
to
have
commenced
under
the
agreement.
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c.
An
obligation
to
engage
in
full-time
practice
under
1
an
agreement
entered
into
pursuant
to
subsection
4
shall
be
2
considered
satisfied
when
any
of
the
following
conditions
are
3
met:
4
(1)
The
terms
of
the
agreement
are
completed.
5
(2)
The
person
who
entered
into
the
agreement
dies.
6
(3)
The
person
who
entered
into
the
agreement,
due
to
7
a
permanent
disability,
is
unable
to
practice
veterinary
8
medicine.
9
(4)
The
commission
waives
the
requirement
that
the
person
10
who
entered
into
the
agreement
fulfill
the
obligation
to
engage
11
in
practice.
12
d.
If
a
loan
repayment
recipient
fails
to
fulfill
13
the
obligation
to
engage
in
practice
in
accordance
with
14
subsection
4,
the
recipient
shall
be
subject
to
repayment
to
15
the
commission
of
the
loan
amount
plus
interest
as
specified
16
by
rule.
A
loan
repayment
recipient
who
fails
to
meet
the
17
requirements
of
the
obligation
to
engage
in
practice
in
18
accordance
with
subsection
4
may
also
be
subject
to
repayment
19
of
moneys
advanced
by
the
rural
service
commitment
area
as
20
provided
in
any
agreement
with
the
rural
service
commitment
21
area.
22
10.
Trust
fund
established.
A
rural
veterinary
care
trust
23
fund
is
created
in
the
state
treasury
as
a
separate
fund
under
24
the
control
of
the
commission.
The
commission
may
accept
25
gifts,
grants,
bequests,
and
other
private
contributions,
as
26
well
as
state
or
federal
moneys,
for
deposit
in
the
fund.
The
27
commission
shall
remit
all
repayments
made
pursuant
to
this
28
section
to
the
rural
veterinary
care
trust
fund.
All
moneys
29
deposited
or
paid
into
the
trust
fund
are
appropriated
and
30
made
available
to
the
commission
to
be
used
for
meeting
the
31
requirements
of
this
section
and
increasing
the
number
of
32
veterinarians
participating
in
the
program.
Moneys
in
the
33
fund
up
to
the
total
amount
that
an
eligible
individual
may
34
receive
for
an
eligible
loan
in
accordance
with
this
section
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and
upon
fulfilling
the
requirements
of
subsection
4,
shall
be
1
considered
encumbered
for
the
duration
of
the
agreement
entered
2
into
pursuant
to
subsection
4.
Notwithstanding
section
8.33,
3
any
balance
in
the
fund
on
June
30
of
each
fiscal
year
shall
not
4
revert
to
the
general
fund
of
the
state,
but
shall
be
available
5
for
purposes
of
this
section
and
to
increase
the
number
of
6
veterinarians
participating
in
the
program
in
subsequent
fiscal
7
years.
8
EXPLANATION
9
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
10
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
11
This
bill
establishes
a
rural
veterinarian
loan
repayment
12
program
in
the
college
student
aid
commission
to
provide
13
loan
repayments
for
individuals
who
agree
to
practice
as
14
licensed
veterinarians
in
rural
service
commitment
areas
or
15
in
veterinary
shortage
areas
in
Iowa
for
four
years,
and
16
establishes
in
the
state
treasury
a
rural
veterinary
care
trust
17
fund
under
the
control
of
the
commission.
18
“Rural
service
commitment
area”
means
a
city
in
Iowa
with
19
a
population
of
less
than
26,000
that
is
located
more
than
20
20
miles
from
a
city
with
a
population
of
50,000
or
more
21
and
which
provides
a
contribution
for
deposit
in
the
rural
22
veterinary
care
trust
fund
equivalent
to
12.5
percent
of
the
23
veterinarian’s
total
eligible
loan
amount
upon
graduation.
24
“Veterinary
shortage
area”
means
a
designated
veterinary
25
service
shortage
situation
in
Iowa
identified
and
nominated
26
by
the
state
veterinarian,
or
recommended
for
designation
in
27
accordance
with
the
federal
National
Veterinary
Medical
Service
28
Act,
7
U.S.C.
§3101
et
seq.,
and
published
by
the
United
States
29
department
of
agriculture.
30
An
individual
is
eligible
to
enter
into
an
agreement
with
31
the
commission
for
loan
repayment
if
the
individual
is
either
32
enrolled
in
the
final
year
of
a
veterinary
degree
program
33
at
an
accredited
college
of
veterinary
medicine
or
is
a
34
licensed
veterinarian
who,
within
five
years
of
applying
for
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2615
the
program,
received
a
veterinary
medicine
degree
from
an
1
accredited
college
of
veterinary
medicine.
An
individual
is
2
ineligible
to
enter
into
a
program
agreement
if
the
individual
3
participated
in
and
received
loan
repayment
awards
through
the
4
veterinary
medicine
loan
repayment
program
administered
by
the
5
U.S.
department
of
agriculture,
national
institute
of
food
and
6
agriculture.
7
To
receive
loan
repayments,
in
addition
to
being
or
becoming
8
a
licensed
veterinarian,
the
individual
must
secure
an
offer
of
9
employment
or
establish
and
maintain
a
practice
in
a
veterinary
10
shortage
situation
or
rural
service
commitment
area
and
engage
11
in
the
full-time
practice
of
veterinary
medicine
for
a
period
12
of
four
consecutive
years
in
the
veterinary
shortage
area
or
13
rural
service
commitment
area.
14
The
commission
shall
give
priority
to
applicants
who
15
graduated
from
an
Iowa
high
school
or
completed
private
16
instruction
in
Iowa.
The
bill
also
directs
the
commission,
17
when
possible,
to
enter
into
agreements
with
individuals
18
who
agree
to
practice
in
areas
in
the
following
priority
19
order:
private
practice
food
supply
veterinary
medicine
in
20
any
veterinary
shortage
area;
private
practice
food
supply
21
veterinary
medicine
in
a
city
in
Iowa
with
a
population
22
of
less
than
26,000
located
more
than
20
miles
from
a
city
23
with
a
population
of
50,000
or
more,
especially
in
remote
or
24
economically
depressed
rural
areas;
and
animal
veterinary
25
medicine
in
a
rural
service
commitment
area.
However,
the
26
commission
may
consult
with
the
state
veterinarian
to
determine
27
prioritization.
28
The
bill
defines
“practice
of
food
supply
veterinary
29
medicine”
to
include
corporate
and
private
practices
devoted
to
30
food
animal
medicine,
mixed
animal
medicine
located
in
a
rural
31
area,
food
safety,
epidemiology,
public
health,
animal
health,
32
and
other
public
and
private
practices
that
contribute
to
the
33
production
of
a
safe
and
wholesome
food
supply.
34
Unless
the
agreement
stipulates
otherwise,
the
amount
of
35
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H.F.
2615
loan
repayment
shall
not
exceed
$15,000
annually
and
shall
not
1
exceed
a
total
of
$60,000
or
the
amount
of
outstanding
eligible
2
loans,
whichever
amount
is
less.
3
Subject
to
funding,
the
commission
must
enter
into
at
least
4
five
program
agreements
annually.
5
The
commission
may
waive
the
requirement
that
the
loan
6
repayment
recipient
practice
in
the
same
veterinary
shortage
7
area
or
rural
service
commitment
area
for
all
four
years.
8
The
bill
establishes
the
conditions
under
which
the
service
9
obligation
may
be
postponed
and
terms
for
satisfaction
of
the
10
service
obligation.
Except
for
a
postponement
for
a
medical
11
condition,
the
service
obligation
shall
not
be
postponed
for
12
more
than
two
years.
The
commission
is
authorized
to
waive
13
the
requirement
that
the
person
who
entered
into
the
agreement
14
fulfill
the
obligation
to
engage
in
practice.
15
If
a
loan
repayment
recipient
fails
to
fulfill
their
16
obligation,
the
recipient
shall
be
subject
to
repayment
of
17
moneys
paid
by
the
commission
and
may
also
be
subject
to
18
repayment
of
moneys
advanced
by
the
rural
service
commitment
19
area.
20
A
rural
veterinary
care
trust
fund
is
created
in
the
21
state
treasury
as
a
separate
fund
under
the
control
of
the
22
commission.
All
moneys
deposited
or
paid
into
the
trust
23
fund
are
appropriated
and
made
available
to
the
commission
24
to
be
used
for
the
program
and
to
increase
the
number
of
25
veterinarians
in
the
program
and
do
not
revert
to
the
general
26
fund
of
the
state
at
the
end
of
the
fiscal
year.
The
commission
27
may
accept
gifts,
grants,
bequests,
and
other
private
28
contributions,
as
well
as
state
or
federal
moneys,
for
deposit
29
in
the
fund.
30
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