Bill Text: TX SB145 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to student loan repayment assistance for nurses employed as faculty members at certain institutions of higher education.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2011-05-21 - Committee report sent to Calendars [SB145 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-SB145-Engrossed.html
By: Hinojosa | S.B. No. 145 |
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relating to student loan repayment assistance for nurses employed | ||
as faculty members at certain institutions of higher education. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding | ||
Subchapter GG to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER GG. NURSING FACULTY LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM | ||
Sec. 61.9781. REPAYMENT AUTHORIZED. The board shall | ||
establish and administer a program to provide, in accordance with | ||
this subchapter and board rules, assistance in the repayment of | ||
student loans for nurses who: | ||
(1) are serving on the faculties of nursing degree | ||
programs at institutions of higher education or private or | ||
independent institutions of higher education in positions that | ||
require an advanced degree in professional nursing; and | ||
(2) apply and qualify for the assistance. | ||
Sec. 61.9782. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive loan | ||
repayment assistance under this subchapter, a nurse must: | ||
(1) apply to the board; | ||
(2) at the time of application for repayment | ||
assistance have been employed full-time for at least one year as, | ||
and be currently employed full-time as, a faculty member of a | ||
nursing degree program at an institution of higher education or a | ||
private or independent institution of higher education; and | ||
(3) comply with any additional requirements adopted by | ||
board rule. | ||
Sec. 61.9783. LIMITATIONS. (a) On qualifying for loan | ||
repayment assistance under this subchapter, a nurse may receive | ||
repayment assistance for each year of full-time employment as a | ||
faculty member of a nursing degree program at an institution of | ||
higher education or private or independent institution of higher | ||
education, not to exceed five years. | ||
(b) The amount of loan repayment assistance received by a | ||
nurse under this subchapter may not exceed $5,000 in any one year. | ||
(c) The total amount of loan repayment assistance provided | ||
under this subchapter may not exceed the total amount of gifts and | ||
grants accepted by the board for the repayment assistance, | ||
legislative appropriations for the repayment assistance, and other | ||
funds available to the board for the repayment assistance, | ||
including any money reallocated under Section 61.9786. | ||
Sec. 61.9784. ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The board may provide | ||
repayment assistance for the repayment of any student loan for | ||
education at any public or private institution of higher education, | ||
including a loan for undergraduate education, received by an | ||
eligible person through any lender. | ||
(b) The board may not provide repayment assistance for a | ||
student loan that is in default at the time of the nurse's | ||
application. | ||
Sec. 61.9785. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any | ||
repayment under this subchapter in a lump sum: | ||
(1) payable to both the lender or other holder of the | ||
loan and the nurse; or | ||
(2) directly to the lender or other holder of the loan | ||
on the nurse's behalf. | ||
(b) A repayment under this subchapter may be applied to any | ||
amount due in connection with the loan. | ||
Sec. 61.9786. REALLOCATION OF MONEY. (a) In each state | ||
fiscal year, the board shall reallocate for loan repayment | ||
assistance under this subchapter for a particular year any money in | ||
the physician education loan repayment program account established | ||
under Section 61.5391 that exceeds the amount necessary in that | ||
fiscal year for purposes of repayment assistance under Subchapter | ||
J. | ||
(b) Each year money reallocated under this section may be | ||
used to fund loan repayment assistance for not more than 50 eligible | ||
applicants. | ||
(c) Any money reallocated under Subsection (a) in a fiscal | ||
year that is not used for loan repayment assistance under this | ||
subchapter in that fiscal year is treated as if that unused amount | ||
had not been reallocated in that fiscal year. | ||
Sec. 61.9787. SOLICITATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS. The | ||
board may solicit and accept gifts and grants from any source for | ||
the purposes of this subchapter. | ||
Sec. 61.9788. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules as | ||
necessary to administer this subchapter. | ||
(b) The board shall distribute a copy of the rules adopted | ||
under this section and pertinent information regarding this | ||
subchapter to: | ||
(1) each institution of higher education and private | ||
or independent institution of higher education; | ||
(2) any appropriate state agency; and | ||
(3) any appropriate professional association. | ||
SECTION 2. Subsection (b), Section 61.5391, Education Code, | ||
is amended to read as follows: | ||
(b) Money in the account may not be appropriated for any | ||
purpose except: | ||
(1) to provide loan repayment assistance to eligible | ||
physicians under this subchapter; or | ||
(2) to provide loan repayment assistance under | ||
Subchapter GG if reallocated under Section 61.9786. | ||
SECTION 3. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board | ||
shall adopt the rules for loan repayment assistance under | ||
Subchapter GG, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, not | ||
later than December 1, 2011. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |