Section 37-113-81 - Release of veterinarian from program contract without penalty; postponement of obligation to engage in practice of veterinary medicine; repayment of financial assistance provided through program required under certain circumstances(1) A veterinarian shall be released from the program contract without penalty if: (a) The veterinarian has completed the service requirements of the contract;(b) The veterinarian is unable to complete the service requirements of the contract because of a permanent physical disability;(c) The veterinarian demonstrates extreme hardship or shows other good cause justifying the release; or(d) The veterinarian dies.(2) An obligation to engage in the practice of veterinary medicine in accordance with the provisions of Section 4 shall be postponed during: (a) Any period of temporary medical disability during which the person obligated is unable to practice veterinary medicine due to the disability; and(b) Any other period of postponement agreed to or determined in accordance with criteria agreed to in the practice agreement.(3) A veterinarian shall be released from further performance of veterinary services under the program contract if he or she is unable to perform his or her contractual obligations to provide veterinary services due to the suspension or revocation of his or her federal accreditation or denial, refusal of renewal, limitation, suspension, revocation, or other disciplinary measure taken against his or her license to practice in the State of Mississippi pursuant to the Mississippi Veterinary Practice Act, Chapter 39, Title 73, Mississippi Code of 1972, particularly, Sections 73-39-75 and 73-39-77. If a veterinarian is released from his or her contract pursuant to this subsection, the program may recover a portion of or all of the payments made to such veterinarian under Section 4 of this act. The dean may use appropriate remedies available to enforce this subsection.(4) Upon the failure of a person to satisfy the obligation to engage in the full-time practice of veterinary medicine in a rural community in accordance with the provisions of this section with no just cause as outlined in subsection (1), that person shall, within ninety (90) days of the failure, be liable for the repayment of all financial assistance provided to such person through the program prescribed in accordance with the policies adopted by the dean, less a prorated amount based on any periods of veterinary medicine practice meeting the requirements of this section, plus interest at the prime rate of two percent (2%) from the date the assistance accrued. The interest on any unpaid obligation for violations specified in this subsection shall be compounded annually.Added by Laws, 2024, ch. 362, HB 1210,§ 6, eff. 7/1/2024.