CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) – Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced May 24 that she supports the Illinois House’s passing of legislation that prevents a student loan borrower’s professional license getting suspended if the borrower is not making payments.
"There are over 44 million Americans who in total have over $1.4 trillion in outstanding student loan debt," Madigan said in the statement. "We should have policies that allow them to support themselves and repay their loans. Taking away debtors' licenses punishes and prevents them from earning enough to live and make their loan payments. It is nonsensical."
Madigan brought forth the legislation, titled Senate Bill 2439, or the Career Preservation and Student Loan Repayment Act. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Carol Ammons.
"Illinois' current practice of suspending the professional licenses of borrowers who are unable to make monthly student loan payments runs contrary to our goal of helping people manage their debt so that they can buy homes, start families and invest in their communities," Ammons said in a statement. "I would like to thank the Attorney General for working to end a policy I think we can all agree is counterintuitive."