Public Act 096-0142
 		





HB0364 Enrolled
LRB096 02836 NHT 13611 b






    AN ACT concerning education.

 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:



 
    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 
Veterinary Student Loan Repayment Program Act.
 
    Section 15. Definitions. In this Act:
    "College" means the College of Veterinary Medicine of the 
University of Illinois.
    "Program" means the Veterinary Student Loan Repayment 
Program established under this Act.
    "University" means the University of Illinois.
 
    Section 20. Veterinary Student Loan Repayment Program.
 
    (a) There is hereby created a veterinary training program 
for large animal and public health veterinary medicine, which 
shall be known as the Veterinary Student Loan Repayment Program 
and administered through the University of Illinois.  
    (b) The purpose of the Program is to provide encouragement, 
opportunities, and incentives for persons pursuing a 
veterinary medicine degree program at the University of 
Illinois to engage, upon completion of such education program, 
in (i) veterinary practice that is at least 51% devoted to 
large animal medicine that enhances agricultural animal health 
and productivity or (ii) regulatory veterinary medicine that 
supports public health and safety, livestock biosecurity, or 
food animal disease diagnosis.
    (c)    Subject to appropriation and upon recommendation of the 
College, the University may enter into a program agreement with 
up to 4 veterinary students during the first year of operation 
of the Program; up to 8 veterinary students during the second 
year of operation of the Program; up to 12 veterinary students 
during the third year of operation of the Program; and up to 16 
veterinary students during the fourth year of operation of the 
Program and every year thereafter until the expiration of the 
Program, as set forth in Section 40 of this Act.  Preference 
must be given to those students who are Illinois residents. 
Each student entering into a program agreement shall receive a 
loan in the amount of $20,000 per year to cover tuition, books, 
supplies and other school expenses and travel and training 
expenses incurred by the student in pursuing a veterinary 
medicine degree. A student may be the recipient of a loan under 
the Program for no more than 4 years.
    (d) Upon the satisfaction of all commitments made under the 
Program and all provisions of the program agreement, all loans 
disbursed to a student under the Program shall be deemed 
satisfied and forgiven.
 
    Section 25. Program agreement. 
    (a)   Prior to receiving a loan under the Program, each loan 
recipient must sign an agreement pledging that he or she shall:
        (1) complete the veterinary medicine degree program at 
    the College;
        (2) complete all advanced training in public health, 
    livestock biosecurity, foreign animal disease diagnosis, 
    regulatory veterinary medicine and zoonotic disease and 
    complete an externship and mentorship with a licensed, 
    accredited veterinarian in Illinois who practices in one of 
    the areas of veterinary service need identified in this Act 
    and as required by the University;
        (3) engage in the full-time practice of veterinary 
    medicine in any of the identified areas of veterinary 
    service need identified in this Act;
        (4) practice full-time for a period of at least 12 
    continuous months for each separate year that he or she 
    received a loan under the Program, unless such obligation 
    is otherwise satisfied as provided in this Act; and
        (5) commence the full-time practice required under 
    this Section within 180 days after completion of his or her 
    degree program or, if he or she enters a post-degree 
    training program such as a graduate school or internship or 
    residency program, within 90 days after completion of that 
    post-degree training program.
    (b) The fulfillment of obligations set forth in the program 
agreement may be postponed under any of the following 
circumstances:
        (1) Any period of temporary medical disability during 
    which the loan recipient is unable to practice veterinary 
    medicine due to such disability.
        (2) Any period of time in which the loan recipient is 
    engaged in mandatory military service as part of the U.S. 
    Armed Forces.
        (3) Any other period of postponement agreed to or 
    determined in accordance with criteria agreed to in the 
    program agreement.
    (c) The obligations of a program agreement shall be 
discharged prematurely upon the death of the loan recipient or 
in the event that the loan recipient is unable to practice 
veterinary medicine due to permanent disability.
 
    Section 30. Failure to satisfy program agreement. Upon the 
failure of a loan recipient to satisfy the obligations set 
forth in the program agreement, he or she must repay to the 
University the amount equal to the amount loaned to the 
recipient less a prorated amount based on any periods of 
practice of veterinary medicine meeting the requirements of the 
program agreement, plus interest at a rate of 18% interest per 
year beginning on the date of the failure to satisfy the 
program requirement.  Such interest shall be compounded 
annually.
 
    Section 35. Collected payments. Payments received by the 
University in accordance with this Act shall be deposited with 
the University for the purpose of supporting the Program, which 
shall include providing funding for additional loans as 
provided for under this Act, and administrative costs 
associated with administering the Program.
 
    Section 40. Expiration of Program. The University may not 
enter into any program agreement under the Program or the 
provisions of this Act after July 1, 2019.  All program 
agreements entered into prior to July 1, 2019 shall continue in 
full force and effect, subject to the requirements of this Act.
 

    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.