A professional licensing board shall not suspend the license of a person licensed by that board because he or she is a borrower in default under the Georgia Higher Education Loan Program as determined by the Georgia Higher Education Assistance Corporation or because he or she has been certified by any entity of the federal government for nonpayment or default or breach of a repayment or service obligation under any federal educational loan, loan repayment, or service conditional scholarship program.
(Code 1981, §43-1-29, enacted by Ga. L. 2001, p. 1066, § 1; Ga. L. 2019, p. 462, § 1-12/SB 214.)
The 2019 amendment, effective July 1, 2019, rewrote this Code section, which read: "A professional licensing board shall suspend the license of a person licensed by that board who has been certified by a federal agency and reported to the board for nonpayment or default or breach of a repayment or service obligation under any federal educational loan, loan repayment, or service conditional scholarship program. Prior to the suspension, the licensee shall be entitled to notice of the board's intended action and opportunity to appear before the board according to procedures set forth by the division director in rules and regulations. A suspension of a license under this Code section is not a contested case under Chapter 13 of Title 50, the 'Georgia Administrative Procedure Act.' A license suspended under this Code section shall not be reinstated or reissued until the person provides the licensing board a written release issued by the reporting agency stating that the person is making payments on the loan or satisfying the service requirements in accordance with an agreement approved by the reporting agency. If the person has continued to meet all other requirements for licensure during the period of suspension, reinstatement of the license shall be automatic upon receipt of the notice and payment of any reinstatement fee which the board may impose."
Cross references.- Georgia Higher Education Assistance Corporation, § 20-3-260 et seq.
Code Commission notes.- Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 2001, "Procedure" was substituted for "Procedures" in the third sentence.
Law reviews.- For note on the 2001 enactment of this Code section, see 18 Georgia. St. U.L. Rev. 256 (2001).