Bill Text: TX SB204 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to student loan repayment assistance for certain employees of the Department of Family and Protective Services.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-01-25 - Referred to Health & Human Services [SB204 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB204-Introduced.html
85R1499 AAF-D | ||
By: West | S.B. No. 204 |
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relating to student loan repayment assistance for certain employees | ||
of the Department of Family and Protective Services. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding | ||
Subchapter N to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER N. REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN DEPARTMENT OF | ||
FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES EMPLOYEES | ||
Sec. 61.731. REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED. The board | ||
shall establish a program to provide, using funds appropriated for | ||
that purpose and in accordance with this subchapter and rules of the | ||
board, assistance in the repayment of student loans for employees | ||
of the Department of Family and Protective Services who apply and | ||
qualify for the assistance. | ||
Sec. 61.732. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive | ||
repayment assistance, a person must: | ||
(1) apply to the board; and | ||
(2) have been employed for at least one year as, and be | ||
currently employed full-time at the Department of Family and | ||
Protective Services as: | ||
(A) a child protective services family-based | ||
safety services caseworker; | ||
(B) a child protective services investigator; | ||
(C) a child-care licensing investigator or | ||
inspector; or | ||
(D) a residential child-care licensing | ||
investigator or inspector. | ||
Sec. 61.733. AMOUNT OF REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE; LIMITATION. | ||
(a) For each year that a person meets the eligibility requirements | ||
provided by Section 61.732, the person may receive repayment | ||
assistance under this subchapter in an amount determined by board | ||
rule, not to exceed $2,500. | ||
(b) A person may not receive repayment assistance under this | ||
subchapter for more than four years. | ||
(c) If the money available for repayment assistance in a | ||
period for which assistance is awarded is insufficient to provide | ||
assistance to all eligible applicants, the board shall award | ||
repayment assistance to eligible applicants by prioritizing awards | ||
to applicants employed in regions of this state experiencing the | ||
highest combined turnover rate for the employee positions listed in | ||
Section 61.732. | ||
Sec. 61.734. ELIGIBLE LOANS. The board may provide | ||
repayment assistance for the repayment of any student loan for | ||
education at a public or private institution of higher education, | ||
including loans for undergraduate education and graduate | ||
education, issued through any eligible lender, as defined by board | ||
rule. | ||
Sec. 61.735. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any | ||
repayment assistance made under this subchapter in a lump sum | ||
directly to the eligible lender or other holder of the loan on the | ||
person's behalf and in accordance with any applicable federal law. | ||
(b) Repayment assistance received under this subchapter may | ||
be applied to the principal amount of the loan and to interest that | ||
accrues. | ||
Sec. 61.736. FUNDING. (a) The repayment assistance | ||
program established by this subchapter is funded only from | ||
appropriations made specifically to fund the program and from | ||
gifts, grants, and donations. The board shall attempt to provide | ||
repayment assistance in each state fiscal biennium in amounts | ||
sufficient to use all amounts appropriated for the program in that | ||
biennium. | ||
(b) The board may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and | ||
donations from any public or private source for the purposes of this | ||
subchapter. | ||
Sec. 61.737. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules | ||
necessary for the administration of this subchapter, including a | ||
rule that establishes the amount of repayment assistance awarded to | ||
eligible persons each year. | ||
(b) The board shall distribute to each institution of higher | ||
education, the Department of Family and Protective Services, and | ||
appropriate professional associations copies of the rules adopted | ||
under this section and pertinent information in this subchapter. | ||
SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board | ||
shall adopt the initial rules for the repayment assistance program | ||
under Subchapter N, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this | ||
Act, not later than December 1, 2017, if funds are appropriated for | ||
the purposes of this subchapter by an Act of the 85th Legislature, | ||
Regular Session, 2017. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |