(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) “Agency” means the Georgia Higher Education Assistance Corporation created in Code Section 20-3-263 which is responsible for
administering a program of guaranteed educational loans to eligible students and eligible parents known as the Georgia Higher Educa-
tion Loan Program.
(2) “Borrower” means an individual who borrowed a guaranteed educational loan under the Georgia Higher Education Loan Program.
(3) “Default” means default as defined by federal law under the Higher Education Act of 1965.
(4) “Satisfactory repayment status” means the borrower has agreed to repay the defaulted loan to the agency and has made a payment in the most recent prior 60 days.
(b) The board shall not suspend the license of any registered forester because he or she is a borrower in default who is not in satisfactory repayment status as determined by the agency or who 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.
(c) The board shall not deny the application for renewal of any applicant or licensee because he or she is a borrower in default who is not in satisfactory repayment status as determined by the agency or who 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.