HB553: AN ACT relating to the Kentucky rural veterinary student loan repayment program and making an appropriation therefor.

Legislative Summary

Establishes the Kentucky Rural Veterinary Medicine Student Loan Repayment Program for an eligible livestock practitioner who engages in veterinary medicine in an underserved rural area or veterinary shortage area for five consecutive years; allows a livestock practitioner in an underserved rural area to practice mixed animal medicine with a minimum of 30 percent work dedicated to livestock; defines “underserved rural area” as a city having a population of less than 25,000 and lying more than 20 miles from a city having a population of more than 50,000; authorizes the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority to promulgate administrative regulations; sets forth program eligibility requirements; authorizes the authority to award loan repayment benefits to applicants selected by the Veterinary Student Loan Repayment Selection Committee; establishes compliance requirements; creates the rural veterinary care trust fund; establishes purposes of the fund; and requires a report to the Legislative Research Commission, Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue, and Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture; APPROPRIATION.