CONNECTICUT, USA — Connecticut lawmakers are discussing the proposal of a bill to reimburse student loan payments for some residents.
The proposed pilot program would reimburse payments up to $20,000 for those in education and childcare, nursing, mental health services and social services.
The discussion regarding the pros and cons of the bill is ahead of Tuesday’s public hearing with the Appropriations Committee.
The proposal would reimburse student loan payments up to $5,000 per year for four years, maxing out at a $20,000 reimbursement.
Right now, the proposed program has allocated $10 million to start, compared to the $17.8 billion of student loan debt Connecticut residents have.
To apply for the program, you have to meet several different requirements:
- Attended a state college or university
- Lived in Connecticut for at least five years
- Make less than $100,000 per year
- Do at least 50 hours of unpaid community service a year
For a full list of requirements, you can view the bill here.
The Office of Higher Education has been tapped to oversee the program, but in a statement, OHE leaders say they can’t support the bill due to the funds not being part of Gov. Ned Lamont's proposed budget.
Other entities disagree; in a statement, Connecticut Children’s Hospital leaders have expressed support for the bill, saying this would incentivize the medical field and bring more people in during a time of need.
The discussion is being held at 1:30 p.m. Monday and the public hearing will be Tuesday.
Brooke Griffin is a reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at bgriffin@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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