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AN ACT
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relating to student loan repayment assistance for certain providers |
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of correctional health care. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 61.532, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.532. ELIGIBILITY. [(a)] To be eligible to receive |
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repayment assistance, a physician must: |
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(1) apply to the coordinating board; |
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(2) at the time of application, be licensed to |
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practice medicine under Subtitle B, Title 3, Occupations Code; |
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(3) have completed one, two, three, or four |
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consecutive years of practice in a health professional shortage |
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area designated by the Department of State Health Services; and |
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(4) provide health care services to: |
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(A) recipients under the medical assistance |
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program authorized by Chapter 32, Human Resources Code; [or] |
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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 Youth |
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Commission or persons confined in a secure correctional facility |
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operated by or under contract with any division of the Texas |
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Department of Criminal Justice. |
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SECTION 2. Section 61.533, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.533. LIMITATION. (a) A physician may receive |
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repayment assistance grants for not more than four years. |
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(b) Repayment assistance grants paid in relation to |
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services described by Section 61.532(4)(C) are limited to the first |
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10 physicians who establish eligibility for those grants each year. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter E, Chapter 501, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 501.156 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 501.156. STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE. (a) From |
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funds appropriated for purposes of correctional managed health |
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care, the committee may provide student loan repayment assistance |
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for medical and mental health care physicians and other staff |
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providing correctional managed health care. The repayment |
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assistance may be applied to any student loan received through any |
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lender for education at a public or accredited private institution |
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of higher education in the United States, including loans for |
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undergraduate, graduate, and medical education. |
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(b) The committee may adopt rules to implement this section, |
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including rules governing eligibility for the loan repayment |
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assistance and the terms of contracts between the committee and |
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recipients of the loan repayment assistance. In adopting those |
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rules, the committee shall consider the requirements of Subchapter |
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J, Chapter 61, Education Code, and the rules of the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board adopted under that subchapter. |
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(c) A physician may not receive loan repayment assistance |
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under both this section and Subchapter J, Chapter 61, Education |
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Code. |
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(d) Not later than December 1 of each state fiscal year, the |
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committee shall submit a report to the Legislative Budget Board and |
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the governor on the use of funds under this section for the |
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preceding fiscal year. |
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SECTION 4. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall: |
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(1) not later than December 1, 2011, adopt any rules |
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necessary under Sections 61.532 and 61.533, Education Code, as |
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amended by this Act; and |
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(2) not later than January 1, 2012, begin providing as |
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permitted by those sections student loan repayment assistance to |
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providers of health care in secure correctional facilities. |
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SECTION 5. The Correctional Managed Health Care Committee |
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shall: |
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(1) not later than December 1, 2011, adopt the rules |
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for the provision of student loan repayment assistance under |
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Section 501.156, Government Code, as added by this Act; and |
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(2) not later than January 1, 2012, begin providing |
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student loan repayment assistance under that section. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 1908 was passed by the House on April |
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13, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, 1 present, not |
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voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 1908 was passed by the Senate on May |
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19, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: _____________________ |
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Date |
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_____________________ |
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Governor |