HB 81

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to student loans; creating s. 43.201,
3	F.S.; providing for a financial assistance program
4	administered by the Justice Administrative Commission to
5	provide assistance to career assistant attorneys general,
6	assistant statewide prosecutors, assistant state
7	attorneys, and assistant public defenders for the
8	repayment of eligible student loans; defining the term
9	"eligible student loan"; providing the elements of the
10	program; providing loan assistance payment amounts;
11	providing for funding; providing an effective date.
12
13	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
14
15	Section 1.  Section 43.201, Florida Statutes, is created to
16	read:
17	43.201  Justice Administrative Commission; student loan
18	program administration.--
19	(1)  The Justice Administrative Commission shall administer
20	a student loan program for career assistant attorneys general,
21	assistant statewide prosecutors, assistant state attorneys, and
22	assistant public defenders. The purpose of the program shall be
23	to provide financial assistance to assistant attorneys general,
24	assistant statewide prosecutors, assistant state attorneys, and
25	assistant public defenders for the repayment of eligible student
26	loans.
27	(2)  As used in this section, the term "eligible student
28	loan" means a loan that was issued pursuant to the Higher
29	Education Act of 1965, as amended, to an assistant attorney
30	general, assistant statewide prosecutor, assistant state
31	attorney, or assistant public defender to fund his or her law
32	school education.
33	(3)  The program shall be administered in the following
34	manner:
35	(a)  An assistant attorney general, assistant statewide
36	prosecutor, assistant state attorney, or assistant public
37	defender is not eligible for assistance under the program until
38	the assistant attorney general, assistant statewide prosecutor,
39	assistant state attorney, or assistant public defender has been
40	employed as an assistant attorney general, assistant statewide
41	prosecutor, assistant state attorney, or assistant public
42	defender for 3 years of continuous service on his or her
43	employment anniversary date.
44	(b)  After an individual has completed 3 years of
45	continuous service, an affidavit of certification on a form
46	approved by the commission shall be submitted to the Office of
47	the Attorney General, the Office of Statewide Prosecution, the
48	state attorney's office, or the public defender's office, as
49	appropriate. The affidavit of certification shall, upon approval
50	of the Attorney General, statewide prosecutor, state attorney,
51	or public defender, as appropriate, be submitted to the
52	commission.
53	(c)  Upon receipt of the certificate, the commission may
54	begin yearly payments in the amount of $3,000 to the lender that
55	services the eligible student loan. These payments shall be made
56	for the benefit of the assistant attorney general, assistant
57	statewide prosecutor, assistant state attorney, or assistant
58	public defender named in the certificate and for the purpose of
59	satisfying the eligible student loan obligation.
60	(d)  Upon an individual's completion of 6 years of
61	continuous service, the annual loan assistance payment amount
62	shall increase to $5,000. After 12 years of continuous service
63	or upon completion of the payment of the eligible student loan,
64	whichever occurs first, loan assistance shall cease. The total
65	amount of loan assistance permitted under the program for any
66	one assistant attorney general, assistant statewide prosecutor,
67	assistant state attorney, or assistant public defender may not
68	exceed $44,000.
69	(4)  The program shall be funded annually by an
70	appropriation from the General Revenue Fund to the Justice
71	Administrative Commission.
72	Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.