Bi-Partisan Bill Re-Introduced to Prevent States from Negatively Impacting Professional Licensing For Delinquent Student Loans

On February 28, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) have reintroduced S. 609, the Protecting Job Opportunities for Borrowers Act. According to Sen. Warren’s press release, the Act “would prevent states from suspending, revoking or denying state professional, teaching, or driver’s licenses solely because a borrower falls behind on their federal student loan payments.”

Sen. Warren states:

We shouldn’t punish people struggling to pay back their student loans by taking away their drivers’ or professional licenses, preventing them from going to work and making a living. Our bipartisan bill removes these senseless roadblocks so that borrowers can build better financial futures.

Sen. Rubio states:

It is wrong to threaten a borrower’s livelihood by rescinding a professional license from those who are struggling to repay student loans, and it deprives hardworking Americans of dignified work. Our bill fixes this ‘catch-22’ and ensures that borrowers are able to continue working to pay off their loans, instead of being caught in a modern-day debtors prison.

The bill was referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee. The text of the bill can be found here. The two senators first introduced the bill in June 2008. Other than being referred to the same Committee, there appeared to be no action on the bill’s first introduction to the Senate.

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