CHAPTER 20-B-6.  VETERINARY SCHOOL LOANS

FOR CERTAIN VETERINARY STUDENTS

§3042.61.  Legislative findings; purpose; definitions

A.  The legislature finds that there is a critical shortage of food animal veterinarians in the state, and it is the intent of the legislature to provide for an adequate supply of veterinarians who will practice food animal veterinary medicine in the state of Louisiana.  The legislature further finds that funding such a supply of food animal veterinarians is a public purpose and, pursuant to Article VII, Section 14 of the Constitution of Louisiana, the legislature intends to provide for a cooperative endeavor to effectuate such purpose.

B.  It is the purpose and intent of this Chapter to provide for loans to eligible applicants who will obtain doctor of veterinary medicine degrees from schools of veterinary medicine which will qualify them to become food animal veterinarians.  Additionally, the purpose of such loans shall be to bring about an adequate supply of capable food animal veterinarians by inducing a sufficient number of the graduates of the schools of veterinary medicine of this state to remain in Louisiana to practice food animal veterinary medicine.

C.  For the purposes of this Chapter, a school of veterinary medicine shall be defined as any veterinary college or division of a university or college in Louisiana that offers the degree of doctor of veterinary medicine or its equivalent and that conforms to the standards required for accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association and approved by the Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine.

Acts 2004, No. 809, §1, eff. July 12, 2004.