ALAA Statement on Albany Failing to Include Legislation in New York’s FY25 Budget to Increase Student Loan Assistance for Lawyers Serving the Public Interest
April 19, 2024
Contact: Jane Fox, Legal Aid Society Chapter Chair, 943.243.7589, jfox@alaa.org
ALAA Statement on Albany Failing to Include Legislation in New York’s FY25 Budget to Increase Student Loan Assistance for Lawyers Serving the Public Interest
Union Calls on Lawmakers to Pass DALF as a Standalone Bill Post-Budget to Ensure that all Low-Income New Yorkers Have Access to Legal Representation
(NEW YORK, NY) - The Association of Legal Aid Attorneys UAW Local 2325 released the following statement after Albany lawmakers failed to include legislation and the nominal $4 million needed to fund it, in the New York State’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget that would bolster the District Attorney and Indigent Legal Services Attorney Loan Forgiveness (DALF) program, administered by the New York State Higher Educations Services Corporation:
“We have seen too many of our union members face the terrible choice of leaving jobs they love, where they fight for vulnerable New Yorkers, because they cannot afford to balance crushing student loan bills with low-paying public interest salaries. This legislation would have provided critical financial assistance to essential legal workers across the state,” said Lisa Ohta, President of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (UAW Local 2325). “We call on Albany lawmakers to get this right, pass this bill, and ensure that all New Yorkers have access to justice and to the high-quality representation they deserve.”
Background:
The legislation, carried by State Senator Jessica Ramos and Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon, would increase student loan aid from up to $3,400 to $8,000 annually, for up to eight years, or total award eligibility of up to $64,000 in total.
Earlier this month, the Senate overwhelmingly passed the bipartisan measure, and the Assembly included DALF in their one-house budget.
Additionally, more than 600 individual attorneys and 35 district attorneys - including the District Attorney’s Association of the State of New York - public defender offices, civil legal services providers, and unions throughout New York signed advocacy letters urging Albany to enact the critical DALF legislation.
Under the current program, lawyers serving the public interest can receive up to a total of $20,400 over six years to pay down their student loans, putting them well behind the award amounts allotted for registered nurses on teaching faculties and social workers, who perform vital work but, on average, carry less debt than public interest lawyers. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal student loan pause gave experienced public sector attorneys critical financial relief, allowing them to stay in their jobs and provide essential advocacy to low-income New Yorkers. With the ending of the pause and the skyrocketing cost of living in the state, the need to expand this loan assistance program is more crucial than ever.
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