Bill Text: OR HB2623 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced

Oregon House Bill 2623 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Relating to a veterinary loan repayment program; appropriating money; declaring an emergency.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2013-07-08 - In committee upon adjournment. [HB2623 Detail]

Download: Oregon-2013-HB2623-Introduced.html



     77th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2013 Regular Session

NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .

LC 1412

                         House Bill 2623

Sponsored by Representative CLEM (at the request of Oregon
  Veterinary Association) (Presession filed.)

                             SUMMARY

The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.

  Creates Veterinary Loan Repayment Program. Directs Oregon
Student Access Commission to administer program to repay student
loans for veterinarians who agree to work in veterinary resource
shortage areas.
  Creates Veterinary Loan Repayment Program Fund and continuously
appropriates moneys in fund to Oregon Student Access Commission.
  Becomes operative January 1, 2014.
  Declares emergency, effective on passage.

                        A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to a veterinary loan repayment program; appropriating
  money; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
  SECTION 1.  { + As used in sections 1 to 3 of this 2013 Act:
  (1) 'Qualifying loan' means a loan for expenses incurred at a
veterinary college or a veterinary department of a university or
college that is approved by the Oregon State Veterinary Medical
Examining Board or accredited by a national accreditation
organization.
  (2) 'Veterinary resource shortage area' means an area
designated by the State Veterinarian as having limited access to:
  (a) Veterinary services for large animals; or
  (b) Veterinary services necessary to protect public health. + }
  SECTION 2.  { + (1) There is created the Veterinary Loan
Repayment Program, to be administered by the Oregon Student
Access Commission pursuant to rules adopted by the commission.
  (2) A person is eligible for the program if the person:
  (a) Submits an application to the commission as provided by
rule of the commission;
  (b)(A) Is enrolled in the final year of a veterinary medical
program at a veterinary college or a veterinary department of a
university or college that is approved by the Oregon State
Veterinary Medical Examining Board or accredited by a national
accreditation organization; or
  (B) Was first licensed as a veterinarian in any jurisdiction
not more than three years before submitting the application;
  (c) Has at least one qualifying loan;
  (d) Is not delinquent in making payments on a qualifying loan;
and

  (e) Is not enrolled in any other program that offers repayment
of loans for expenses incurred at a veterinary college or a
veterinary department of a university or college. + }
  SECTION 3.  { + (1) A veterinarian or prospective veterinarian
who wishes to participate in the Veterinary Loan Repayment
Program shall execute a veterinary loan repayment agreement
providing that:
  (a) In the time period immediately following the person's
licensure as a veterinarian under ORS chapter 686 or the time
period immediately following the execution of the veterinary loan
repayment agreement with the Oregon Student Access Commission,
whichever occurs later, the veterinarian agrees to practice for
at least four years in a veterinary resource shortage area.
  (b) For up to four years that the veterinarian serves in a
veterinary resource shortage area, the commission shall annually
pay to the veterinarian $15,000 or the balance of the
veterinarian's qualifying loan or loans, whichever is less.
  (2) If the veterinarian does not complete the full service
obligation set forth in subsection (1) of this section, the
commission shall collect 100 percent of any payments made by the
commission to the veterinarian under the program. In addition,
the commission shall assess a penalty equal to 25 percent of the
payments made by the commission to the veterinarian under the
program. The commission may not charge interest on the penalty.
  (3) All moneys received under this section shall be paid into
the Veterinary Loan Repayment Program Fund established under
section 4 of this 2013 Act.
  (4) The commission may waive all or part of any fee or penalty
owed to the commission if the commission determines that a
hardship prevented a veterinarian from fulfilling the service
obligation set forth in subsection (1) of this section. + }
  SECTION 4.  { + The Veterinary Loan Repayment Program Fund is
established in the State Treasury, separate and distinct from the
General Fund. Interest earned by the Veterinary Loan Repayment
Program Fund shall be credited to the fund. Moneys in the fund
are continuously appropriated to the Oregon Student Access
Commission for the purposes of carrying out sections 1 to 3 of
this 2013 Act. + }
  SECTION 5.  { + (1) Sections 1 to 3 of this 2013 Act become
operative on January 1, 2014.
  (2) The Oregon Student Access Commission may take any action
before the operative date specified in subsection (1) of this
section that is necessary to enable the commission to exercise,
on and after the operative date specified in subsection (1) of
this section, all the duties, functions and powers conferred on
the commission by sections 1 to 3 of this 2013 Act. + }
  SECTION 6.  { + This 2013 Act being necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency
is declared to exist, and this 2013 Act takes effect on its
passage. + }
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