2001 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 279 – Teachers, student loan repayment

HOUSE BILL NO. 279

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View Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



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Daily Data Tracking History



H0279..........................................................by EDUCATION
TEACHERS - STUDENT LOANS - Adds to existing law to provide a program for
repayment by the Board of Education of certain student loans incurred by
certified teachers; to provide eligibility requirements; to provide amounts
of loans and limitations; to provide access to loan information; to provide
for payments and cessation of payments; and to authorize rulemaking.
                                                                        
02/16    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/19    Rpt prt - to Educ
03/05    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/06    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/07    3rd rdg - FAILED - 28-38-4
      AYES -- Barraclough(Barraclough), Bieter, Black, Boe, Chase, Cuddy,
      Denney, Eskridge, Hadley, Henbest, Higgins, Jaquet, Jones, Langford,
      Marley, Meyer, Montgomery, Pomeroy, Ridinger, Robison, Sali,
      Schaefer, Shepherd, Smylie, Stone, Tilman, Trail, Wood
      NAYS -- Barrett, Bedke, Bell, Bolz, Bruneel, Callister, Campbell,
      Clark, Collins, Crow, Deal, Ellis, Ellsworth, Field(13), Gagner,
      Gould, Hammond, Harwood, Hornbeck, Kellogg, Kendell, Kunz, Lake,
      Loertscher, Mader, McKague, Mortensen, Moyle, Pearce, Pischner,
      Raybould, Roberts, Sellman, Smith, Stevenson, Swan(Hansen), Wheeler,
      Young
      Absent and excused -- Bradford, Field(20), Moss, Mr. Speaker
    Floor Sponsors -- Chase, Higgins, Trail
    Filed w/ Office of the Chief Clerk

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-sixth Legislature                  First Regular Session - 2001
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 279
                                                                        
                                   BY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO TEACHERS; AMENDING CHAPTER 37, TITLE 33, IDAHO CODE, BY THE  ADDI-
  3        TION OF A NEW SECTION 33-3723, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE A PROGRAM FOR REPAY-
  4        MENT BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CERTAIN STUDENT LOANS INCURRED BY CERTI-
  5        FIED TEACHERS, TO PROVIDE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, TO PROVIDE AMOUNTS, TO
  6        PROVIDE LIMITATIONS, TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO LOAN INFORMATION, TO PROVIDE FOR
  7        PAYMENTS,  TO  PROVIDE FOR CESSATION OF PAYMENTS AND TO AUTHORIZE RULEMAK-
  8        ING.
                                                                        
  9    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
 10        SECTION 1.  That Chapter 37, Title 33, Idaho Code, be,  and  the  same  is
 11    hereby  amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
 12    ignated as Section 33-3723, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
                                                                        
 13        33-3723.  STUDENT LOANS OF CERTIFIED TEACHERS --  REPAYMENT  BY  BOARD  OF
 14    EDUCATION.  (1) The purpose of this section is to provide a program for repay-
 15    ment of student loans to certified teachers in Idaho public schools and  is  a
 16    supplement  to  the  student  loan  forgiveness  program  provided  in section
 17    33-3722, Idaho Code.
 18        (2)  Certified teachers who are not otherwise eligible to  participate  in
 19    the  student loan forgiveness program provided in section 33-3722, Idaho Code,
 20    may apply to the board of education to have student loans repaid according  to
 21    this section.
 22        (3)  In order to participate, the teacher must:
 23        (a)  Have  graduated from an elementary or secondary teacher training pro-
 24        gram provided by an institution of higher learning in Idaho;
 25        (b)  Have received and currently maintain in good standing  a  certificate
 26        to teach in Idaho pursuant to chapter 12, title 33, Idaho Code;
 27        (c)  Have  actively  taught as a full-time employee in a public primary or
 28        secondary public school in Idaho for at least two  (2)  years  immediately
 29        preceding application;
 30        (d)  Have received his teaching certificate after January 1, 2000;
 31        (e)  Not  be,  or have been, participating in the student loan forgiveness
 32        program provided in section 33-3722, Idaho Code;
 33        (f)  Have not defaulted on  any  student  loan  obligation  submitted  for
 34        repayment;
 35        (g)  Agree  to  serve at least an additional two (2) years in a primary or
 36        secondary public school in Idaho;
 37        (h)  Apply for loan repayment pursuant to this section  within  the  first
 38        seven (7) years following original receipt of their teacher's certificate.
 39        (4)  A  person  meeting  the requirements of this section may apply to the
 40    state board of education to have the board repay that person's  student  loans
 41    up to a maximum of two thousand dollars ($2,000)  per year per teacher, not to
 42    exceed  ten  thousand dollars ($10,000) total for each qualified teacher.  The
 43    student loans must have been incurred in the pursuit of education necessary to
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1    obtain an Idaho teaching certificate. A teacher may be reimbursed, pursuant to
  2    the maximum limits set forth herein, for qualifying student loan payments made
  3    during the immediate preceding two (2) year period of time in which they  were
  4    fulfilling  their  two (2) year prerequisite teaching requirement. In order to
  5    be reimbursed for loan payments made during that period  of  time,  a  teacher
  6    must  submit documentation as required by the board including, but not limited
  7    to, proof of  payment  of  qualifying  student  loans.  Any  funds  reimbursed
  8    directly  to a teacher pursuant to the provisions of this subsection, shall be
  9    included with any funds repaid to government and private lending  institutions
 10    in determining the maximum limitation on payment as set forth herein.
 11        (5)  Repayment  shall  be  limited  to  reasonable educational expenses as
 12    determined by the department and shall include principal and interest.
 13        (6)  Loans from both government and private lending  institutions  may  be
 14    repaid  by  the  program. Participants shall agree to give the board access to
 15    loan records and to acquire information from lenders necessary to verify  eli-
 16    gibility and to make the required loan payments on a timely basis.
 17        (7)  Repayment  of  loans established pursuant to this program shall begin
 18    no later than ninety (90) days after the teacher  has  become  a  participant.
 19    Payments  shall be made quarterly, or more frequently if deemed appropriate by
 20    the board, to the lending institution until the loan is repaid to  the  extent
 21    allowed in this section or the participant becomes ineligible.
 22        (8)  Should the participant discontinue employment in a primary or second-
 23    ary  public  school  in Idaho, payments against the loans of the teacher shall
 24    cease, and the teacher shall no longer be eligible for repayment of his quali-
 25    fied student loans by the board, on the date that the participant discontinues
 26    service.
 27        (9)  The board is not responsible for any outstanding payments on  princi-
 28    pal and interest to any lenders once a teacher's eligibility expires.
 29        (10) The  board  shall adopt rules necessary to administer the program and
 30    shall publicize the program.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                     STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                               
                           RS 10919
                               
This legislation provides an enticement to Idaho teachers to remain
and teach in Idaho. The bill proposes re-payment of student loans by
the Board of Education for certified teachers who have graduated from
an institution of higher learning in Idaho. They must have taught in
a public school in Idaho for at least two (2) years and must agree to
teach in Idaho at least an additional two (2) years. Repayments will
be made at $2,000 per year to a maximum of $10,000 and will apply
only if the loan was incurred in pursuit of education necessary for
an Idaho teaching certificate.



                         FISCAL IMPACT
                               
Estimated cost of the program would be approximately $2,000,000 per
year.

 
Contact
      Name: Rep. Roger Chase
      Phone:     208 332 1130
Rep. Tom Trail
Rep. Kent Higgins
Rep. Donna Boe
Rep. Bert Marley





STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE            H 279