H.B. No. 3083
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to repayment of certain mental health professional
  education loans.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 61.601, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 61.601.  DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "mental
  health professional" means:
               (1)  a licensed physician who is:
                     (A)  a graduate of an accredited psychiatric
  residency training program; or
                     (B)  certified in psychiatry by:
                           (i)  the American Board of Psychiatry and
  Neurology; or
                           (ii)  the American Osteopathic Board of
  Neurology and Psychiatry;
               (2)  a psychologist, as defined by Section 501.002,
  Occupations Code;
               (3)  a licensed professional counselor, as defined by
  Section 503.002, Occupations Code;
               (4)  an advanced practice registered nurse, as defined
  by Section 301.152, Occupations Code, who holds a nationally
  recognized board certification in psychiatric or mental health
  nursing; [and]
               (5)  a licensed clinical social worker, as defined by
  Section 505.002, Occupations Code; and
               (6)  a chemical dependency counselor, as defined by
  Section 504.001, Occupations Code.
         SECTION 2.  Section 61.604, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
         (d)  Notwithstanding Subsection (c), if in a state fiscal
  year not all funds available for purposes of the program are used,
  the board may allocate any unused funds to award repayment
  assistance grants to mental health professionals in any of the
  professions listed in Section 61.601.
         SECTION 3.  Section 61.607(b), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  The total amount of repayment assistance received by a
  mental health professional under this subchapter may not exceed:
               (1)  $160,000, for assistance from the state received
  by a licensed physician;
               (2)  $80,000, for assistance from the state received
  by:
                     (A)  a psychologist;
                     (B)  a licensed clinical social worker, if the
  social worker has received a doctoral degree related to social
  work; or
                     (C)  a licensed professional counselor, if the
  counselor has received a doctoral degree related to counseling;
               (3)  $60,000, for assistance from the state received by
  an advanced practice registered nurse; [and]
               (4)  $40,000, for assistance from the state received by
  a licensed clinical social worker or a licensed professional
  counselor who is not described by Subdivision (2); and
               (5)  $10,000, for assistance from the state received by
  a licensed chemical dependency counselor, if the chemical
  dependency counselor has received an associate degree related to
  chemical dependency counseling or behavioral science.
         SECTION 4.  The heading to Section 61.608, Education Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 61.608.  RULES; ADMINISTRATION.
         SECTION 5.  Section 61.608, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows:
         (c)  The board shall adopt rules establishing a process for
  allocating any unused funds under the program in accordance with
  Section 61.604(d).
         (d)  The board shall administer the program under this
  subchapter in a manner that maximizes any matching funds available
  through the state loan repayment program under the National Health
  Service Corps program of the United States Department of Health and
  Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration.
         SECTION 6.  Section 61.609, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 61.609.  SOLICITATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF FUNDS.  (a) The
  board may solicit and accept gifts and grants from any public or
  private source for the purposes of this subchapter.
         (b)  The board annually shall seek the maximum amount of
  funds available through the state loan repayment program under the
  National Health Service Corps program of the United States
  Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and
  Services Administration.
         SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3083 was passed by the House on May
  12, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 126, Nays 16, 1 present, not
  voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to
  H.B. No. 3083 on May 26, 2017, and requested the appointment of a
  conference committee to consider the differences between the two
  houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report
  on H.B. No. 3083 on May 28, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 128,
  Nays 18, 2 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3083 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 24, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 27, Nays
  4; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference
  committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and
  that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No.
  3083 on May 28, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 24, Nays 6.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor