Connecticut HB 5418: AN ACT CONCERNING THE KIRKLYN M. KERR PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT.
Status: FILE NO. 665 (as of 2026-04-16)
State: Connecticut · Session: 2026 · Bill: HB 5418
Subjects: Agriculture, Department of, Bed and breakfast establishments, Boats, Career education, Catering establishments, Computer and data processing services, Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority, Diesel fuel, Drugs, Grants by the state, Grocery stores, Hotels, motels and inns, Liquor, Marijuana, Meals, Militia, Motor vehicle leasing, Motor vehicle sales, Motor vehicle sales tax, Municipal Revenue Sharing Fund, Regional planning incentive account, Restaurants, Retail trade, Revenue Services, Department of, Sales, Sales and use tax, Special Transportation Fund, Storage, Tourism Fund, Tuition, University of Connecticut, Veterinarians
Sponsors: Gregory Haddad
Bill Text
LCO 1 of 3 General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5418 February Session, 2026 AN ACT CONCERNING THE KIRKLYN M. KERR PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: Section 1. Section 10a-19h of the general statutes is repealed and the 1 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2027): 2 (a) For the purposes of this section, "veterinary student" means an in-3 state resident enrolled in an accredited veterinary graduate school. 4 (b) The president of The University of Connecticut shall establish and 5 administer the Kirklyn M. Kerr program to support the veterinary 6 medicine education of not more than five veterinary students per 7 cohort. Each cohort may be funded for a four-year period pursuant to 8 the provisions of subsection (c) of this section. 9 (c) Any state resident may apply, in the form and manner prescribed 10 by The University of Connecticut, for a grant to attend a veterinary 11 graduate school under the Kirklyn M. Kerr program. The university 12 shall award such grants within available appropriations. Each grant 13 recipient shall receive a grant for four years in the amount of the 14 difference between the cost of in-state tuition and out-of-state tuition at 15 the veterinary graduate school approved by the university under said 16 program. Such grant shall be issued in the form of a student loan that 17 Substitute Bill No. 5418 LCO 2 of 3 shall (1) not be subject to repayment, and (2) be forgiven at a rate of 18 twenty per cent per annum over the course of five years, provided such 19 grant recipient, after graduating from veterinary school and completing 20 any subsequent professional training, is a state resident and practicing 21 veterinarian, licensed pursuant to chapter 384, working in the state. 22 Such student loan shall be subject to repayment for any remaining 23 balance of such student loan if a grant recipient ceases to be a state 24 resident or a practicing veterinarian in the state at any time during the 25 first five years after graduating from veterinary school and completing 26 any subsequent professional training. 27 (d) The University of Connecticut shall enter into a memorandum of 28 understanding with the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental 29 Loan Authority for the issuance of forgivable student loans pursuant to 30 the provisions of subsection (c) of this section. 31 Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) The Office of Higher Education 32 shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with The University 33 of Connecticut for the use of funds in the Kirklyn M. Kerr account, 34 established pursuant to section 3 of this act, to award grants to 35 veterinary students under the Kirklyn M. Kerr program established 36 pursuant to section 10a-19h of the general statutes, as amended by this 37 act. 38 Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) There is established an account 39 to be known as the "Kirklyn M. Kerr account", which shall be a separate, 40 nonlapsing account. The account shall contain any moneys required by 41 law to be deposited in the account. Moneys in the account shall be 42 expended by the Office of Higher Education for the purposes of the 43 memorandum of understanding with The University of Connecticut 44 concerning the Kirklyn M. Kerr program, established pursuant to 45 section 10a-19h of the general statutes, as amended by this act. 46 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: Section 1 July 1, 2027 10a-19h Substitute Bill No. 5418 LCO 3 of 3 Sec. 2 July 1, 2026 New section Sec. 3 July 1, 2026 New section Statement of Legislative Commissioners: Section 1(c) was redrafted for clarity; and in Section 1(d), "establish" was changed to "enter into" and in Section 2, "establish" was changed to "enter into" for consistency with standard drafting conventions. HED Joint Favorable Subst. C/R APP APP Joint Favorable Subst.
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