Section 17-101-205 - Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program(a)(1) There is established the Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program for rural Arkansas to be funded by the Agri Scholarship Program Fund.(2) The Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program shall be: (A) Developed and implemented to provide encouragement, opportunities, and incentives to individuals pursuing a veterinary medicine degree to:(i) Locate their veterinary practices in rural Arkansas communities; and(ii) Receive specialized training targeted to meet the needs of livestock producers and rural communities in this state; and(B) Administered by the Department of Agriculture.(b) The department may: (1) Enter into Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program agreements with veterinary students who have met the requirements of this section;(2) Prescribe forms for and regulate the submission of Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program applications;(3) Determine the eligibility of applicants;(4) Accept or reject Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program applications;(5) Contract, increase, decrease, terminate, and otherwise regulate all Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program disbursements and receipts for the repayment of Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program disbursements;(6) Manage, operate, and control all funds and property appropriated for or otherwise contributed to the Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program under this section;(7) Accept gifts, grants, bequests, or devises and apply them as a part of the Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program under this section;(8) Accept moneys from federal programs that may be used for purposes permitted under this section; and(9) Contract or otherwise cooperate with institutions of higher education, state agencies, nonprofit corporations, or other entities to award scholarships.(c) The department shall give preference to students who: (1) Are residents of this state; and(2) Agree to serve in a county that has been determined to be an underserved county for the practice of veterinary medicine, as determined by the department.(d) Each Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program agreement shall require that a scholarship recipient: (1) Complete: (A) A veterinary medicine degree program;(B) All required advanced training in public health, livestock biosecurity, foreign animal disease diagnosis, regulatory veterinary medicine, and zoonotic disease; and(C) An externship and mentoring requirement with a licensed and accredited veterinarian in rural Arkansas;(2) Engage in the full-time practice of veterinary medicine: (A) In a: (i) County in Arkansas that has a population of fewer than forty thousand (40,000) people; or(ii) Registered veterinary premises under a licensed veterinarian if food-animal patients make up at least fifty percent (50%) of the veterinarian's practice at the time the person entered into the Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program agreement; and(B) For a period of at least twelve (12) continuous months for each separate year a student receives an award under the Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program, unless the obligation is otherwise satisfied under this section;(3) Commence a full-time practice of veterinary medicine within ninety (90) days of completing a veterinary medicine degree program, or if the person enters a post-degree training program, including a graduate school, internship, or residency program, within ninety (90) days of completing the post-degree training program; and(4)(A) Upon failure to satisfy the obligation to engage in the full-time practice of veterinary medicine as required by subdivision (d)(2) of this section, repay to the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission, within ninety (90) days of the failure to satisfy the obligation to engage in the full-time practice of veterinary medicine, the amount equal to the amount awarded to the person, less a prorated amount based on any periods of practice of veterinary medicine that meet the requirements of this section, plus interest calculated at the prime rate of interest plus two percent (2%) from the date the award was received.(B) The interest under subdivision (d)(4)(A) of this section shall be compounded annually.(e) If a person is engaging in the full-time practice of veterinary medicine under the Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program agreement in a county that no longer meets the population requirement after the date that the Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program agreement was entered into by the department and the recipient, both parties to the agreement shall continue to hold the terms of the agreement in full force and effect subject to the other requirements of this section that are able to be met.(f) An obligation to engage in the practice of veterinary medicine in accordance with this section shall be postponed during:(1) Any period of temporary medical disability during which an individual obligated under the Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program agreement is unable to practice veterinary medicine due to the temporary medical disability; and(2) Any other period of postponement agreed to or determined in accordance with criteria agreed upon in the Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program agreement.(g) An obligation to engage in the practice of veterinary medicine in accordance with the Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program agreement and this section shall be satisfied: (1) If the obligation to engage in the practice of veterinary medicine in accordance with the Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program agreement has been completed;(2) If, due to a permanent disability, an individual obligated under a Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program agreement is unable to practice veterinary medicine; or(3) An individual obligated under a Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program agreement dies.(h) This section does not require the department to endow or award any scholarship.(i) Scholarship awards are contingent upon the availability of funds.Added by Act 2023, No. 706,§ 4, eff. 8/1/2023.