43-29.1 Veterinarian Loan Repayment Program - North Dakota Statutes

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CHAPTER 43-29.1VETERINARIAN LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM43-29.1-01. Loan repayment program - Veterinarians - Maximum amount of funds.Each year the state health council, in consultation with the state board of animal health, shall
select from a pool of applicants no more than three veterinarians who shall provide food animal
veterinary medicine services to communities in this state.The veterinarians are eligible toreceive up to eighty thousand dollars in loan repayment funds. If the state health council accepts
any gifts, grants, or donations under this chapter, the council may select additional veterinarians
for participation in the loan repayment program under this chapter.43-29.1-02.Loan repayment program - Veterinarians - Powers of state healthcouncil. The state health council may:1.Determine the eligibility and qualifications of an applicant for loan repayment funds
under this chapter.2.Identify communities that are in need of a veterinarian and establish a priority
ranking for participation in the program by the selected communities.3.Create and distribute a loan repayment application.4.Determine the amount of the loan repayment funds for which a veterinarian is
eligible under this chapter and, in making this determination, examine any
outstanding education loans incurred by the applicant.5.Establish conditions regarding the use of the loan repayment funds.6.Enter a nonrenewable contract with the veterinarian and the selected community to
provide to the veterinarian funds for the repayment of education loans in exchange
for the veterinarian agreeing to actively practice in the selected community.7.Receive and use funds appropriated for the program.8.Enforce any contract under the program.9.Cancel a contract for reasonable cause.10.Participate in federal programs that support the repayment of education loans
incurred by veterinarians and agree to the conditions of the federal programs.11.Accept property from an entity.12.Cooperate with the state department of health to effectuate this chapter.43-29.1-03. Veterinarian selection criteria - Eligibility for loan repayment.1.In establishing the criteria regarding a veterinarian's eligibility for loan repayment
funds under this chapter, the state health council shall:a.Consider the veterinarian's training in food animal veterinary medicine, ability
and willingness of the veterinarian to engage in food animal veterinary
medicine, and the extent to which such services are needed in a selected
community.b.Consider the veterinarian's commitment to serve in a community that is in need
of a veterinarian.Page No. 1c.Consider the compatibility of the veterinarian with a selected community.d.Consider the date by which the veterinarian would be available for service to
the selected community.e.Consider the veterinarian's competence and professional conduct.f.Give priority to a veterinarian on whose behalf state-funded student support
fees have not been paid.2.A veterinarian who is selected to receive loan repayment funds under this chapter:a.Must have graduated from an accredited college of veterinary medicine; andb.Must be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this state.3.Veterinarians selected shall contract to provide full-time veterinary medicine services
for two, three, or four years in one or more selected communities.43-29.1-04. Community selection criteria.1.In selecting a community with a defined need for the services of a veterinarian, the
health council shall consider:a.The size of the community and give priority:(1)First to rural communities having a population under five thousand;(2)Second to communities having a population between five thousand and
ten thousand; and(3)Third to communities having a population greater than ten thousand.b.The number of veterinarians practicing in the community and the surrounding
area.c.The access by residents to veterinarians practicing in the community and the
surrounding area.d.The degree to which residents support the addition of a veterinarian within the
community.2.The state health council shall give priority for participation to a community that
demonstrates a need for a veterinarian.3.In evaluating communities for participation in this program, the state health council
may consult with public and private entities and visit the communities.43-29.1-05. Eligible loans. The state health council may provide for loan repaymentfunds to a veterinarian who has received an education loan. The council may not provide funds
for the repayment of a loan that is in default at the time of the application. The amount of the
repayment must be related to the veterinarian's outstanding education loans.43-29.1-06. Release from contract obligation.1.The state health council shall release a veterinarian from the veterinarian's loan
repayment contract without penalty if:a.The veterinarian has completed the service requirements of the contract;Page No. 2b.The veterinarian is unable to complete the service requirement of the contract
because of a permanent physical disability;c.The veterinarian demonstrates to the state health council extreme hardship or
shows other good cause justifying the release; ord.The veterinarian dies.2.A decision by the state health council not to release a veterinarian from the
veterinarian's loan repayment contract without penalty is reviewable by district court.43-29.1-07. Loan repayment. Upon completing six months of the first year of service,as required by the contract, the veterinarian is eligible to receive a loan payment in an amount up
to fifteen thousand dollars.Upon completing a second year of service, as required by thecontract, the veterinarian is eligible to receive a loan payment in an amount up to fifteen
thousand dollars.Upon completing a third year of service, as required by the contract, theveterinarian is eligible to receive a loan payment in an amount up to twenty-five thousand dollars.
Upon completing a fourth year of service, as required by the contract, the veterinarian is eligible
to receive a loan payment in an amount up to twenty-five thousand dollars. All payments under
this section must be made to the issuer of the student loan. No individual may receive more than
eighty thousand dollars under this section. If an individual fails to complete an entire year of
service, the amount repayable under this section for that year must be prorated.43-29.1-08.Gifts, grants, and donations - Continuing appropriation.The statehealth council may accept any conditional or unconditional gifts, grants, or donations for the
purpose of providing funds for the repayment of veterinarians' education loans.If an entitydesires to provide funds to the state health council to allow an expansion of the program beyond
the three veterinarians contemplated by this chapter, the entity shall commit to fund fully the
expansion for a period of four years. The state health council may contract with a public or
private entity and may expend any moneys available to the council to obtain matching funds for
the purposes of this chapter. During the 2007-09 biennium, the state department of health may
receive no more than seven percent of the appropriated moneys and the state veterinarian may
receive no more than three percent of the appropriated moneys for administration of the loan
repayment program. All moneys received as gifts, grants, or donations under this section are
appropriated as a continuing appropriation to the state health council for the purpose of providing
funds for the repayment of additional veterinarians' education loans.Page No. 3Document Outlinechapter 43-29.1 veterinarian loan repayment program