House Bill 1256
By: Representatives Berry of the 56th, Herring of the 145th, McQueen of the 61st, Park of the
107th, Burnough of the 77th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 3 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to the Georgia Student Finance Authority, so as to provide for student
loan repayment for public school teachers who graduated from an eligible postsecondary
educational institution in Georgia and who have taught for at least five years in a public
school in this state; to provide for definitions; to provide for eligibility; to provide for student
loan repayment agreements and conditions; to provide for maximum student loan repayment
amounts; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for an appropriations contingency;
to provide for related matters; to provide a short title; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Georgia Appreciation for Educators Act."
SECTION 2.
Part 3 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to the Georgia Student Finance Authority, is amended by adding a new subpart to
read as follows:
<ins>"Subpart 7D
20-3-467.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Eligible applicant' means a person who:
(A) Is a legal resident of the State of Georgia;
(B) Graduated from an eligible postsecondary institution; and
(C) Is currently employed as a teacher in a public school in this state and has been so
employed for at least five years.
(2) 'Eligible postsecondary institution' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code
Section 20-3-519.
(3) 'Recipient' means an eligible applicant who applied for and was approved by the
authority for student loan repayment under this Code section.
(4) 'Student loan' means debt incurred by a recipient that is:
(A) Evidenced by a promissory note which required the funds received to be used to
pay for the cost of attendance for a course of study of the recipient;
(B) Not in default at the time of application for repayment under this Code section; and
(C) Not subject to an existing service obligation or to repayment through another
student loan repayment or loan forgiveness program or to repayment as a condition of
employment.
(5) 'Teacher' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 20-2-942.
</ins>
<ins>(b) The authority is authorized to approve the applications of eligible applicants in
accordance with rules and regulations established by the authority governing the student
loan repayment process.
(c) The authority is authorized to provide for the repayment of student loans held by a
recipient in consideration of the recipient performing services in the form of teaching in a
public school in this state for not less than five years.
(d)(1) Each recipient, before being granted any student loan repayment, shall enter into
a student loan repayment agreement with the authority agreeing to the terms and
conditions upon which the student loan repayment is granted, including such terms and
conditions set forth in this Code section.
(2) The authority shall have the power to terminate a student loan repayment agreement
at any time for any cause deemed sufficient by the authority, provided that such power
shall not be arbitrarily or unreasonably exercised.
(e) Each student loan repayment agreement entered into with the authority pursuant to this
Code section shall be signed by the director of the authority and by the recipient and shall:
(1) Provide for repayment of the recipient's student loans in a total amount as the
authority shall determine based on available appropriations, but not exceeding the total
student loan debt of the recipient, to be paid out over a term of not more than five years
in installments made on an annual basis;
(2) Provide that any payment made by the authority under a student loan repayment
agreement shall be made in consideration of services rendered by the recipient as a
teacher in a public school in this state; and
(3) Require that the recipient remain a legal resident of this state as established by rules
and regulations of the authority and be employed as a teacher in a public school in this
state at all times during the term of the agreement.
(f) The authority shall adopt such rules and regulations as are reasonable and necessary to
implement the provisions of this Code section.
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<ins>(g) Student loan repayment for recipients having entered into a student loan repayment
agreement with the authority pursuant to this Code section shall be contingent upon the
appropriation of funds by the General Assembly for the purposes of this Code section in
annual appropriations Acts of the General Assembly."
</ins> SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.