Bill Text: TX SB737 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to student loan repayment assistance for certain child protective services workers.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-02-25 - Referred to Health & Human Services [SB737 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-SB737-Introduced.html
| 83R3014 AED-D | ||
| By: Watson | S.B. No. 737 | |
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| relating to student loan repayment assistance for certain child | ||
| protective services workers. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding | ||
| Subchapter II to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER II. REPAYMENT OF CERTAIN CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES | ||
| CASEWORKER LOANS | ||
| Sec. 61.9851. REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED. (a) The | ||
| board may provide, using funds appropriated for that purpose and in | ||
| accordance with this subchapter and board rules, assistance in the | ||
| repayment of student loans for persons who apply and qualify for the | ||
| assistance. | ||
| (b) The provision of financial assistance in the repayment | ||
| of student loans under this subchapter promotes a public purpose. | ||
| Sec. 61.9852. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive | ||
| repayment assistance, a child protective services caseworker must: | ||
| (1) apply to the board; and | ||
| (2) have been employed for at least one year as, and be | ||
| currently employed full-time as, a direct delivery caseworker at | ||
| the Department of Family and Protective Services. | ||
| Sec. 61.9853. AMOUNT OF REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE; LIMITATION. | ||
| (a) For each year that a child protective services caseworker is | ||
| employed full-time and serves as a direct delivery caseworker at | ||
| the Department of Family and Protective Services, the caseworker | ||
| may receive repayment assistance under this subchapter in an amount | ||
| not to exceed $5,000. | ||
| (b) A child protective services caseworker may not receive | ||
| repayment assistance under this subchapter for more than four | ||
| years. | ||
| (c) If money will not be sufficient to provide repayment | ||
| assistance to each eligible applicant, the board shall award | ||
| repayment assistance to eligible applicants by prioritizing awards | ||
| to applicants employed in regions of this state experiencing the | ||
| highest turnover. | ||
| Sec. 61.9854. ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) 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 and graduate education, issued | ||
| through any lender. | ||
| (b) The board may not provide repayment assistance for a | ||
| student loan that is in default at the time of the caseworker's | ||
| application. | ||
| Sec. 61.9855. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any | ||
| repayment assistance made under this subchapter in a lump sum | ||
| directly to the lender 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. 61.9856. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. The board may appoint an | ||
| advisory committee from outside the board's membership to assist | ||
| the board in performing its duties under this subchapter. | ||
| Sec. 61.9857. FUNDING. (a) The repayment assistance | ||
| program established by this subchapter is funded from the child | ||
| protective services caseworker student loan assistance trust fund. | ||
| The trust fund is established outside the treasury and is | ||
| administered by the comptroller. Money in the trust fund may be | ||
| spent without appropriation and only to fund the program. Interest | ||
| and income from the assets of the trust fund shall be credited to | ||
| and deposited in the trust fund. | ||
| (b) The board may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and | ||
| donations from any public or private source for the purposes of this | ||
| subchapter and shall deposit money accepted under this subsection | ||
| to the credit of the trust fund. | ||
| (c) The legislature may appropriate money to the trust fund. | ||
| Sec. 61.9858. 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 | ||
| a caseworker 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 rules for the repayment assistance program under | ||
| Subchapter II, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, not | ||
| later than December 1, 2013. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. | ||
