Bill > S3339

Introduced Session

This bill establishes the Large Animal Veterinarian Loan Redemption Program in the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. Under the program, a participant would redeem 20 percent of eligible student loan expenses for each year of service as a large animal veterinarian in a State-designated underserved area. Eligible student loan expenses is defined as the cumulative total of the principal and interest due on student loans used to cover the cost of attendance while enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at an institution of higher education. Program participants are matched to State-designated underserved areas by the Executive Director of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture. Under the bill, each program participant must be a resident of the State, be a graduate of a veterinary school approved by the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, have completed a professional residency program and received a recommendation from the director of the training program concerning participation in the loan redemption program, and agree to practice large animal veterinary medicine in a State-designated underserved area. The contract would be for five one-year periods and would specify the total amount of debt to be redeemed by the State in return for the service. Eligible loans will not be redeemed for service of less than one full year annually.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Brian Stack (D)*,  Latham Tiver (R)*,  Owen Henry (R), 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Higher Education Committee (on 06/03/2024)

Official Document