BILL NUMBER: S161
SPONSOR: RAMOS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to the New York state
district attorney and indigent legal services attorney loan forgiveness
program
 
PURPOSE:
This bill would increase student loan forgiveness for district attor-
neys, public defenders, and indigent civil legal services attorneys.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Amends paragraph b of subdivision 2 of section 679-e of the
education law in regard to the eligible period.
Section 2. Amends paragraph d of subdivision 2 of section 679-e of the
education law in regard to year of qualified service.
Section 4 amends paragraph b of subdivision 3 of section 679-3 of the
education law. Section 5: Effective date
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Public defenders, district attorneys, and indigent legal service attor-
neys such as housing and immigration attorneys, provide vital services
to their communities. However, since the inception of the District
Attorney and Indigent Legal Service Attorney Loan Forgiveness Program in
2009, law school tuition has grown dramatically, and law school debt
increased by 43% at public schools, and by 34% at private schools. As a
result, the attrition rates for these public servants are particularly
high, and debt loads drive indigent legal service attorneys and assist-
ant district attorneys to more profitable positions in government or at
private firms. As a result of the high rate of attrition, low-income New
Yorkers are deprived of experienced and talented representation.
Increasing the student loan forgiveness award from $8,000 per annum will
help alleviate debt burdens, and it will allow public interest attorneys
to continue working for their communities. Similarly, decreasing the
wait-time for attorneys to access the award from three years to two
years will help attract talented law students to the profession. This is
crucial for many rural counties, where there are shortages of indigent
legal services attorneys. Further, as people of color and other under-
represented groups have disproportionately high student debt burdens,
this debt relief will enable diverse populations to pursue careers in
indigent legal services. While the cost of this program is minimal, it
will have a profound impact on legal representation for communities.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: S4511B (Ramos) Passed Senate / A156D (Simon) referred to higher
education
2021-22: S1176 (Ramos) Referred to Higher Education / A5720 (Simon)
referred to higher education
2019-20: S6668 (Ramos) Reported and Committed to Finance
 
FISCAL IMPACT:
To be Determined
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect April 1, 2026. Nothing in this act shall be
implemented in a manner that diminishes the current award or status of
eligible attorneys currently participating in the program.

Statutes affected:
S161: 679-e education law, 679-e(2) education law, 679-e(3) education law