PRINTER'S NO. 4047
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2644
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY MURT, SCHLEGEL CULVER, BARRAR, BURGOS,
SCHLOSSBERG, WILLIAMS, HILL-EVANS, O'MARA, FREEMAN,
YOUNGBLOOD, ROEBUCK, DELLOSO, DRISCOLL, GALLOWAY, READSHAW,
DEASY, DeLUCA, ROZZI, CIRESI, GAINEY, OTTEN, KENYATTA AND
TOMLINSON, JUNE 29, 2020
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, JUNE 29, 2020
AN ACT
Establishing a Front-Line Worker Loan Forgiveness Program.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Front-Line
Worker Loan Forgiveness Program Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Active first responder." A member of an emergency medical
services agency, volunteer fire company or volunteer rescue
company.
"Agency." The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance
Agency.
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"Approved institution of higher learning." A degree-granting
or certificate-granting educational institution, including a
vocational school, that:
(1) offers a postsecondary program of education;
(2) is located in this Commonwealth; and
(3) is approved by the Pennsylvania Higher Education
Assistance Agency.
"Approved program of education." A curriculum or course of
study pursued at an approved institution of higher learning as
determined by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance
Agency.
"Emergency medical services agency." An emergency medical
service corporation, association or organization which meets all
of the following:
(1) Is located in this Commonwealth.
(2) Is licensed by the Department of Health.
(3) Is regularly engaged in the provision of emergency
medical services, including basic life support or advanced
life support services and advanced life support squads as
defined in 28 Pa. Code ยง 1027.1 (relating to general
provisions) and licensed quick response services.
"Front-line worker." An individual who is employed as a
health care professional, active first responder or employee of
a life-sustaining business at any time during the proclamation
of disaster emergency issued by the Governor on March 6, 2020,
published at 50 Pa.B. 1644 (March 21, 2020), and any renewal of
the state of disaster emergency.
"Life-sustaining business." A life-sustaining business
within the scope of the order issued by the Governor on March
19, 2020.
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"Program." The Front-Line Worker Loan Forgiveness Program
established in this act.
"Qualified applicant." A front-line worker or a family
member who qualifies for loan forgiveness under this act.
"Volunteer fire company." A nonprofit chartered corporation,
association or organization located in this Commonwealth which
provides fire protection or rescue services and which may offer
other voluntary emergency services within this Commonwealth.
Voluntary emergency services provided by a volunteer fire
company may include voluntary ambulance and voluntary rescue
services.
"Volunteer rescue company." A nonprofit chartered
corporation, association or organization located in this
Commonwealth that provides emergency rescue services.
Section 3. Front-Line Worker Loan Forgiveness Program.
(a) Program established.--The Front-Line Worker Loan
Forgiveness Program is established. The program shall provide
loan forgiveness awards to qualified applicants in accordance
with this act. The agency shall administer the program for
active first responders on a Statewide basis.
(b) Applicants.--A front-line worker who meets the following
criteria may apply to the agency for loan forgiveness under the
program:
(1) Is a resident of this Commonwealth.
(2) Has been a front-line worker for a period of at
least one year in this Commonwealth or is a family member of
a first-line worker and been directly impacted by the COVID-
19 pandemic, as determined by the agency.
(3) Is enrolled or has been enrolled as a student in an
approved program of education.
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(4) Provides the agency with a sworn or official
statement by:
(i) the Office of the State Fire Commissioner or the
chief or president of the emergency medical services
agency, attesting that the applicant is a member in good
standing of the emergency medical services agency,
volunteer fire company or volunteer rescue company; or
(ii) the owner or an officer of the entity acting as
employer of an applicant who is a health care
professional or employee of a life-sustaining business
attesting that the applicant is currently employed by the
entity.
Section 4. Award of loan forgiveness.
The agency may provide loan forgiveness for a first-line
worker who, following completion of a postsecondary degree or
certification program and, in each subsequent year, meets all of
the following criteria:
(1) Is a recipient of an agency-administered, federally
insured student loan.
(2) Has completed a certificate or degree program at an
approved institution of higher learning. The certificate or
degree program must be an approved program of education.
(3) Remains employed as a first-line worker for four
consecutive years preceding the date of application or, as a
family member of a first-line worker, is employed in this
Commonwealth.
(4) Executes a sworn affidavit, under penalty of
perjury, that the individual does not have a delinquent
payment owing to any Commonwealth agency.
Section 5. Amount of awards.
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(a) Loan forgiveness.--Agency-administered, federally
insured student loans for an approved program of education
provided to a qualified applicant may be forgiven by the agency
as follows:
(1) The agency may forgive a qualified applicant's loan
in an amount up to $20,000.
(2) Payment of the award shall be made in accordance
with the procedures established by the agency.
(3) A qualified applicant may receive loan forgiveness
awards as follows:
(i) First year of front-line worker status following
graduation in an amount up to $5,000, but not exceeding
25% of the original qualifying loans.
(ii) Second year of front-line worker status
following graduation in an amount up to $5,000, but not
exceeding 25% of the original qualifying loans.
(iii) Third year of front-line worker status
following graduation in an amount up to $10,000, but not
exceeding 50% of the original qualifying loans.
(b) Preference.--The agency may give preference in approving
loan forgiveness awards under the program to renewal
applications.
Section 6. Funding.
The agency may approve loan forgiveness awards only to the
extent that funds are appropriated by the General Assembly and
are sufficient to cover administration of the program. In the
event that funding is insufficient to fully fund administration
and awards to all qualified applicants, the agency shall prorate
loan forgiveness awards.
Section 7. Administration.
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The agency shall promulgate regulations and adopt policies,
procedures and forms as are necessary and not inconsistent with
the provisions of this act.
Section 8. Guidelines.
The agency shall adopt guidelines, including forms, necessary
to administer this act.
Section 9. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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