Bill Text: CA AB921 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended

---

Bill Title: California Kickstart My Future Loan Forgiveness Program.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Failed) 2018-02-01 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB921 Detail]

Download: California-2017-AB921-Amended.html

---

Amended  IN  Assembly  September 12, 2017

Amended  IN  Assembly  March 28, 2017

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 921

---

Introduced by Assembly Member Cervantes

February 16, 2017

---

An act to amend Section 8162.5 of the Government Code, relating to state government. An act to add Article 16 (commencing with Section 69820) to Chapter 2 of Part 42 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to student financial aid.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 921, as amended, Cervantes. Capitol Park. California Kickstart My Future Loan Forgiveness Program.

Existing law establishes the Student Aid Commission as the primary state agency for the administration of state-authorized student financial aid programs available to students attending all segments of postsecondary education. Under existing law, the commission, among other things, administers the Cal Grant Program, the Student Opportunity and Access Program, the Assumption Program of Loans for Education, the Graduate Assumption Program of Loans for Education, the Public Interest Attorney Loan Repayment Program, and the California State Work-Study Program.

This bill would establish the California Kickstart My Future Loan Forgiveness Program, under the administration of the commission, to provide student loan forgiveness awards for the purpose of alleviating the burden of federal student loan debt for recent graduates meeting specified requirements. The bill would, subject to an available and sufficient appropriation, authorize an eligible applicant to receive a student loan forgiveness award equal to 100% of his or her monthly federal income-driven repayment plan payments for 24 months of repayment under the federal program. The bill would require a recipient, who no longer meets the specified requirements at the time any payment is made under this program, to refund those payments to the state, and would authorize the Franchise Tax Board to recover the payments owed.

The Capitol View Protection Act prescribes specific height limits and setback requirements applicable to the area surrounding Capitol Park and uses specified terms to define that area, including the term “half block.” The act defines the term “half block” to mean a reference to a half block that is 200 feet in a specified direction from the center line of a given numbered street, and to include all property bounded within 210 feet of the center line of a given lettered street.

This bill would modify the definition of “half block” to mean a reference to a half block that is 205 feet in a specified direction from the center line of a given numbered street, and to include all property bounded within 215 feet of the center line of a given lettered street.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NOYES   Local Program: NO  

---

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Article 16 (commencing with Section 69820) is added to Chapter 2 of Part 42 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read:

Article  16. California Kickstart My Future Loan Forgiveness Program

69820.

 (a) The California Kickstart My Future Loan Forgiveness Program is hereby established under the administration of the Student Aid Commission.

(b) The purpose of the program is to provide grants to eligible applicants to help alleviate the burden of federal student loan debt for recent California state college graduates.

(c) The commission shall develop an application process with criteria consistent with requirements of this article, and may adopt rules and regulations for the implementation of the program consistent with this article.

69821.

 For purposes of this article, the following terms have the following meaning:

(a) “Commission” means the Student Aid Commission.

(b) “Eligible applicant” means an applicant who meets the requirements of Section 69822.

(c) “Income” means the total adjusted gross income of the applicant and the applicant’s spouse, if applicable.

(d) “Program” means the California Kickstart My Future Loan Forgiveness Program.

69822.

 In order to be eligible for an award described in Section 69823, an applicant shall meet all of the following requirements:

(a) Be a California resident or meet the requirements of Section 68130.5.

(b) Have graduated and obtained an undergraduate degree from a college or university with its headquarters located in California in or after the 2016–17 academic year.

(c) Applied for this program within two years of obtaining the degree described in subdivision (b).

(d) Be a participant in a federal income-driven repayment plan whose payment amount is generally 10 percent of discretionary income.

(e) Have income of less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000).

(f) Work in California, if employed.

(g) Is not in default in the repayment of any state or federal student loan.

(h) Has not failed to comply with the terms of any service or repayment condition imposed by an award made pursuant to this chapter.

69823.

 (a) Subject to an available and sufficient appropriation, an eligible applicant shall be eligible for a student loan forgiveness award equal to 100 percent of his or her monthly federal income-driven repayment plan payments for 24 months of repayment under the federal program.

(b) (1) An award granted under this section shall be deferred for a recipient who has been granted a deferment or forbearance under the federal income-driven repayment plan.

(2) Upon the completion of the deferment or forbearance period, the recipient shall be eligible to receive an award for the remaining time period under this section.

(c) (1) A recipient who no longer meets the requirements of Section 69822 at the time any payment is made under this program shall be required to refund those payments to the state.

(2) The Franchise Tax Board may recover payments owed pursuant to paragraph (1) in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the commission.

SECTION 1.Section 8162.5 of the Government Code is amended to read:

8162.5.

(a)This section and Sections 8162.6, 8162.7, 8162.8, and 8162.9 shall be known as the Capitol View Protection Act.

(b)“Capitol Park” means the area lying between 9th Street on the west, 15th Street on the east, N Street on the south, and L Street on the north.

(c)“Height limit” means the highest point of the building except for the following unoccupied elements: building caps that serve a decorative function and rooftop mechanical equipment that is screened and placed in a location furthest away when viewed from the State Capitol or Capitol Park.

(d)“Block” means a reference to a block in a specified direction from a given numbered street bounded by the center line of the given street and the center line of the adjacent numbered street in the specified direction. A reference to a block in a specified direction from a given lettered street shall mean the property bounded by the center line of the specified street and the center line of the adjacent lettered street in the specified direction. A reference to a block may also be defined by specific stated lines on opposite sides of a given street, but parallel to the center line of the street.

(e)“Half block” means a reference to a half block in a specified direction from a given numbered street bounded by the center line of the given street and a line parallel to, and 205 feet in the specified direction from, the center line of the given street. A reference to a half block in a specified direction from a given lettered street shall mean the property bounded by the center line of the given street and a line parallel to, and 215 feet in the specified direction from, the center line of the given street.

(f)“Street” means, for purposes of the height restrictions and setback requirements, the center line of the street.

(g)“Abandoned or built across streets” means an instance in which a portion of a given street has been abandoned or built across. A reference to the given street shall mean the center line of the street that would have existed if the street had not been abandoned or built across, and was the same width as the existing given street.

(h)“K Street” means, for property west of 14th Street, the center line of the K Street Mall.