Tepper Bill Opens Rural Vet Aid To 40-Dogs-A-Day Clinics

The text as introduced · 1,264 words

89R9264 AND-F

By: Tepper
H.B. No. 2992

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the name and function of the rural veterinarian

incentive program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter G, Chapter 56,

Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER G. RURAL AND SHELTER VETERINARIAN INCENTIVE PROGRAM

SECTION 2. Section 56.101, Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 56.101. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:

(1) "Account" means the rural and shelter veterinarian

incentive program account.

(2) "College" means a college of veterinary medicine

located in this state and accredited by the American Veterinary

Medical Association Council on Education.

(3) "Committee" means the rural and shelter

veterinarian incentive program committee.

(4) "Eligible participant" means a person eligible to

participate in the program under Section 56.104.

(5) "General academic teaching institution" has the

meaning assigned by Section 61.003.

(6) "High-quality, high-volume spay and neuter

clinic" means an animal shelter or a veterinary clinic that:

(A) spays or neuters, on average, at least 40

dogs per business day; and

(B) charges a below-market fee for a spay or

neuter procedure.

(7) "Program" means the rural and shelter veterinarian

incentive program established by this subchapter.

(8) [ (7) ] "Rural county" means a county in this state

with a population of less than 150,000.

(9) "Shelter medicine" includes all areas of

veterinary practice relevant to the care and management of stray,

homeless, abandoned, or unwanted animals.

(10) [ (8) ] "University system" has the meaning

assigned by Section 61.003.

SECTION 3. The heading to Section 56.103, Education Code,

is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 56.103. RURAL AND SHELTER VETERINARIAN INCENTIVE

PROGRAM COMMITTEE; RULES.

SECTION 4. Section 56.103, Education Code, is amended by

amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsection (f) to read

as follows:

(a) The rural and shelter veterinarian incentive program

committee consists of:

(1) the executive director of the Texas Animal Health

Commission, or the executive director's designee;

(2) the executive director of the State Board of

Veterinary Medical Examiners, or the executive director's

designee;

(3) the dean of each accredited college of veterinary

medicine located in this state, or the dean's designee;

(4) a veterinarian with a mixed animal practice,

representing each university system located in Texas with an

accredited college of veterinary medicine, appointed by the board

of regents of each university system;

(5) a veterinarian with a large animal practice,

representing each university system located in Texas with an

accredited college of veterinary medicine, appointed by the board

of regents of each university system; [ and ]

(6) a practitioner of veterinary medicine who serves

as a commissioner of the Texas Animal Health Commission, appointed

by the chair of the Texas Animal Health Commission ; and

(7) two shelter medicine practitioners who are

associated with an animal shelter, appointed by the president of

the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners .

(d) The committee shall adopt rules:

(1) establishing criteria to determine whether a

person is an eligible participant as the committee considers

reasonable, including the person's:

(A) background and interest in rural practice or

shelter medicine ; and

(B) financial need;

(2) providing for requesting the distribution of money

from the account for the program;

(3) establishing the criteria necessary [ for a

community or political subdivision in a rural county ] to qualify as

a student sponsor under Section 56.105;

(4) governing agreements of financial support between

a [ rural ] sponsor and an eligible student; and

(5) establishing other procedures necessary to

administer the program.

(f) In adopting rules under this section, the committee:

(1) is not required to disburse money under the

program evenly among all eligible participants; and

(2) shall ensure that financial assistance provided

under the program provides the maximum benefit to communities by

filling areas of need in large-animal, mixed-animal, or shelter

medicine practice.

SECTION 5. The heading to Section 56.105, Education Code,

is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 56.105. [ RURAL ] SPONSORS; AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE

FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

SECTION 6. Sections 56.105(a) and (b), Education Code, are

amended to read as follows:

(a) A community or political subdivision located in a rural

county or any community or political subdivision within which a

high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter clinic is located that

qualifies under the rules of the committee may become a sponsor of

an eligible participant and may provide financial support to the

eligible participant under the program.

(b) To participate as a sponsor in the program, the

community or political subdivision must enter into an agreement

with the eligible participant to provide financial support to the

eligible participant in an amount not less than the tuition and fees

required for a full academic year for a student enrolled in a

college in exchange for the eligible participant's agreement to

practice veterinary medicine :

(1) in a rural county, anywhere in the sponsoring

community or political subdivision ; or

(2) in a high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter

clinic located in the sponsoring community or political

subdivision .

SECTION 7. The heading to Section 56.106, Education Code,

is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 56.106. FINANCIAL SUPPORT; COMMITMENT TO PRACTICE IN

RURAL COUNTY OR HIGH-QUALITY, HIGH-VOLUME SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC .

SECTION 8. Section 56.106(a), Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) To participate in the program, an eligible participant

must enter into an agreement with the Texas Higher Education

Coordinating Board that:

(1) requires the participant to practice veterinary

medicine in a rural county or in a high-quality, high-volume spay

and neuter clinic for one calendar year for each academic year for

which the participant receives financial support under the program;

(2) specifies the conditions the participant must

satisfy to receive financial support under the program;

(3) provides that any financial support the

participant receives under the program constitutes a loan until the

participant satisfies the conditions of the agreement; and

(4) requires the participant to sign a promissory note

acknowledging the conditional nature of the financial support

received under the program and promising to repay the amount of the

financial support, any applicable interest, and reasonable

collection costs if the participant does not satisfy the conditions

of the agreement.

SECTION 9. The heading to Section 61.9965, Education Code,

is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 61.9965. RURAL AND SHELTER VETERINARIAN INCENTIVE

PROGRAM ACCOUNT.

SECTION 10. Sections 61.9965(a) and (b), Education Code,

are amended to read as follows:

(a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall

administer the rural and shelter veterinarian incentive program

account in accordance with Subchapter G, Chapter 56, to provide

assistance in the repayment of student loans for eligible

veterinarians who apply and qualify for the assistance under the

rules of the Texas Animal Health Commission rural and shelter

veterinarian incentive program committee.

(b) The rural and shelter veterinarian incentive program

account is an account in the general revenue fund. The account is

composed of:

(1) gifts, grants, in-kind contributions, or real or

personal property contributed to the account from any individual,

group, association, or corporation or the United States, subject to

limitations or conditions set by law, for the purposes of this

subchapter;

(2) earnings on the principal of the account; and

(3) other amounts deposited to the credit of the

account, including:

(A) money deposited from a community or political

subdivision that qualifies under the rules authorized by Section

56.105 to become a sponsor of an eligible participant under the

program; and

(B) legislative appropriations deposited to the

account.

SECTION 11. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.