87R5984 MM-D     By: Hinojosa S.B. No. 575       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the Nursing Faculty Loan Repayment Assistance Program.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 61.9822, Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 61.9822.  ELIGIBILITY.  To be eligible to receive loan   repayment assistance under this subchapter, a nurse must:                (1)  apply to the board;                (2)  at the time of application for repayment   assistance have been employed part-time or full-time for at least   one year as, and be currently employed part-time or full-time as, a   faculty member of a nursing degree program at an institution of   higher education or a private or independent institution of higher   education; and                (3)  comply with any additional requirements adopted by   board rule.          SECTION 2.  Sections 61.9823(a) and (b), Education Code, are   amended to read as follows:          (a)  On qualifying for loan repayment assistance under this   subchapter, a nurse may receive repayment assistance for each year   of part-time or full-time employment as a faculty member of a   nursing degree program at an institution of higher education or   private or independent institution of higher education, not to   exceed five years.          (b)  The board by rule shall determine the maximum amount of   loan repayment assistance received by a nurse under this subchapter   [may not exceed $7,000] in any one year.  The board shall base the   amount of loan repayment assistance received by a nurse for   part-time employment on the proportion of the number of hours   worked by the nurse to the number of hours worked by a full-time   nurse.          SECTION 3.  (a)  As soon as practicable after the effective   date of this Act, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board   shall adopt rules necessary to administer the changes in law made by   this Act.          (b)  The changes in law made by this Act apply beginning with   loan repayment assistance awarded under Subchapter JJ, Chapter 61,   Education Code, for the 2022-2023 academic year. Loan repayment   assistance awarded under Subchapter JJ, Chapter 61, Education Code,   for an academic year before the 2022-2023 academic year is governed   by the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this   Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.