The Secretary of State shall not suspend a license issued pursuant to this chapter because of 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, §43-20A-17, enacted by Ga. L. 2008, p. 1112, § 15/HB 1055; Ga. L. 2019, p. 462, § 1-15/SB 214.)
The 2019 amendment, effective July 1, 2019, substituted the present provisions of this Code section for the former provisions, which read: "The Secretary of State shall suspend a license issued pursuant to this chapter if reported to the Secretary of State 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 a suspension, the licensee shall be entitled to notice of the Secretary of State's intended action and opportunity to appear before the Secretary of State according to procedures set forth by the Secretary of State. A suspension of a license pursuant to this Code section shall not be a contested case under Chapter 13 of Title 50. A license suspended pursuant to this Code section shall not be reinstated or reissued until the person arranges for a written release to be issued by the reporting agency directly to the Secretary of State 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 such 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 Secretary of State may impose."