# Title 43 — Occupations and Professions

## Chapter 43-29.1 — Veterinarian Loan Repayment Program

### § 43-29.1-01. Loan repayment program - Veterinarians - Maximum amount of funds.

Each year the department of health and human services, in consultation with the state
board of animal health, shall select qualified applicants to participate in a loan repayment
program, as provided for in this chapter. Each applicant must be a veterinarian and must agree
to provide food animal veterinary medicine services to communities in this state. The selected
applicants are eligible to receive up to eighty thousand dollars in loan repayment funds. The
number of applicants that the department of health and human services may select for
participation in the loan repayment program is limited only by the moneys available to support
the program, as provided for in this chapter.
### § 43-29.1-02. Loan repayment program - Veterinarians - Powers of department.

The department of health and human services 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 an applicant may be
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 selected applicant and the selected community
to provide to the applicant funds for the repayment of education loans in exchange for
the applicant 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; and
12. Cooperate with the department of health and human services to effectuate this
chapter.
### § 43-29.1-03. Veterinarian selection criteria - Eligibility for loan repayment.

1. In establishing the criteria regarding eligibility for loan repayment funds under this
chapter, the department of health and human services shall consider the applicant's:
a. Training in food animal veterinary medicine, ability, willingness to engage in food
animal veterinary medicine, and the extent to which such services are needed in
a selected community;
b. Commitment to serve in a community that is in need of a veterinarian;
c. Compatibility with a selected community;
d. Date of availability for service to the selected community; and
e. Competence and professional conduct.
2. An applicant selected to receive loan repayment funds under this chapter:
a. Must have graduated from an accredited college of veterinary medicine;
b. Must be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this state; and
c. Must be employed full-time in the private practice of veterinary medicine.
3. A selected applicant 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
department of health and human services 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 department of health and human services 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 department of health
and human services may consult with public and private entities and visit the
communities.
### § 43-29.1-05. Eligible loans.

The department of health and human services may provide for loan repayment funds to a
veterinarian who has received an education loan. The department of health and human services
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 department of health and human services 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;
b. The veterinarian is unable to complete the service requirement of the contract
because of a permanent physical disability;
c. The veterinarian demonstrates to the department of health and human services
extreme hardship or shows other good cause justifying the release; or
d. The veterinarian dies.
2. A decision by the department of health and human services 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.

1. a. 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.
b. Upon completing a second 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.
c. Upon completing a third 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.
d. 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.
2. All payments under this section must be made on the veterinarian's behalf to the
issuer of the student loan.

3. A veterinarian is not entitled to receive more than eighty thousand dollars under this
section.
4. If an individual fails to complete an entire year of service, the amount repayable under
this section for that year must be prorated.
5. If any moneys remain in the state veterinary loan repayment account after the
department of health and human services has met all statutory and contractual
obligations established under this chapter, the department of health and human
services may use the moneys to increase the number of veterinarians participating in
the loan repayment program.
### § 43-29.1-08. Gifts, grants, and donations - Continuing appropriation.

1. The department of health and human services may accept any conditional or
unconditional gifts, grants, and donations for the purpose of providing moneys for the
repayment of veterinarians' education loans. However, if an entity desires to provide
moneys to the department of health and human services for the location of a
veterinarian in or at a specific site, the entity shall commit to provide the full amount
required under this program for a period of four years.
2. The department of health and human services may contract with a public or private
entity and may expend any moneys available to the department of health and human
services to obtain matching funds for the purposes of this chapter.
3. All moneys received as gifts, grants, or donations under this section are appropriated
on a continuing basis to the department of health and human services for the purpose
of increasing the number of veterinarians participating in the loan repayment program
under this chapter.
