HCS HB 2174 -- LARGE ANIMAL VETERINARY STUDENT LOAN ASSISTANCE

SPONSOR:  Quinn (7)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass by consent" by the Committee on
Agriculture Policy by a vote of 10 to 0.

This substitute changes the laws regarding the Large Animal
Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program and the Large Animal
Veterinary Student Loan Program.  In its main provisions, the
substitute:

(1)  Adds lawful permanent residency in the United States to the
criteria for a student to be eligible to participate in the Large
Animal Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program;

(2)  Specifies that a qualifying veterinarian student can be
awarded a maximum of $20,000 per academic year up to a cumulative
total of $80,000;

(3)  Specifies that the maximum amount the Department of
Agriculture can forgive for each year of qualifying service is
$20,000;

(4)  Requires a loan recipient who fails to meet the qualified
service requirement to begin repayment of the loan within six
months of the first day on which he or she did not meet the
service requirement; and

(5)  Authorizes the department to grant a loan deferment to a
student who is on active duty in any branch of the military.

The Large Animal Veterinary Student Loan Program will expire on
June 30, 2013.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2009, FY 2010, and
FY 2011.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill clarifies certain
provisions of the Large Animal Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment
Program and the Large Animal Veterinary Student Loan Program.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Quinn (7); Trent
Wilder, Missouri Veterinary Medicine Association; and John Dodam,
College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated October 15, 2008 at 3:12 pm