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.