Bill > A2158

Introduced Session

This bill requires institutions of higher education and government employers to provide information to certain students and employees, as applicable, concerning the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The PSLF program is an initiative run by the United States Department of Education which offers student loan forgiveness to individuals who have spent ten years working full time in the public service sector. This bill aims at increasing awareness of the PSLF program for students and employees who may qualify for loan forgiveness under the program. Under this bill, institutions of higher education will be required to provide all students who have outstanding federal student loan debt with information about the PSLF program. This information will be distributed at two points - once during the second-to-last academic semester of a student's program of study, and once during the academic semester in which a student is scheduled to graduate from the institution. Any employer within the State of New Jersey that is considered a qualifying government employer under the PSLF program will be required to provide employees with information about the PSLF program. Employees hired after the date of enactment of this bill will be provided with the information during the explanation of benefits at the beginning of employment. The United States Department of Education advises an annual submission of the PSLF application, therefore employers will also be required to provide employees with information about the PSLF program at least once per calendar year. The information provided to students and employees will include notification of potential eligibility for the PSLF program, provide the Internet address for the PSLF program, and explain the eligibility requirements for the PSLF program pursuant to federal law, 20 U.S.C. s.1087e. With respect to the bill's requirements for government employers, any information about the employer necessary for the employee to fill out the PSLF program application will also be provided to the employees. The information about the PSLF program may be distributed in writing electronically, by regular mail, or in person. The executive director of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority and Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development will develop a model format for the information.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Reginald Atkins (D)*,  Bill Moen (D)*,  Shanique Speight (D)*,  Shama Haider (D),  Garnet Hall (D),  Pam Lampitt (D),  Tennille McCoy (D),  Annette Quijano (D),  Jessica Ramirez (D),  Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D),  Benjie Wimberly (D), 

Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee (on 09/30/2024)

Official Document