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Legislative Solutions Under Consideration in 2017:
EDUCATION RESET (the CJEF ruling): Judge Thomas Moukawsher ruled that the Connecticut school funding mechanism is unconstitutional. CCAG agrees. But while there are things to like in Malloy’s budget response, it worrisomely diverts $400M from public education. He also drops a full third of teacher pension costs, assigning them magically to municipalities. Most problematic of all, the proposal pits one school system against another in a redistribution of funding that is not adequately vetted. Rather than robbing Peter to pay Paul, Connecticut has an obligation to increase the size of the pie and get education right. We need to identify the true cost of an adequate education, gather appropriate data, and hear from school boards, superintendents, parents, and national education funding experts.
EDUCATION RESET (the CJEF ruling): Judge Thomas Moukawsher ruled that the Connecticut school funding mechanism is unconstitutional. CCAG agrees. But while there are things to like in Malloy’s budget response, it worrisomely diverts $400M from public education. He also drops a full third of teacher pension costs, assigning them magically to municipalities. Most problematic of all, the proposal pits one school system against another in a redistribution of funding that is not adequately vetted. Rather than robbing Peter to pay Paul, Connecticut has an obligation to increase the size of the pie and get education right. We need to identify the true cost of an adequate education, gather appropriate data, and hear from school boards, superintendents, parents, and national education funding experts.
Legislative solutions considered in 2016:
HB 5571, AN ACT CONCERNING CONSUMER COLLECTION AGENCIES AND DEBT COLLECTION ACTIONS:
This very important bill passed, complementing last year's victories helping students in debt. Just as consumers should pay their debts, debt-buyers that engage in unfair or abusive practices should be held accountable. Passage restored important consumer protection lost in recent years. This bill was a direct result of the report “Unfair, Deceptive, and Abusive” released jointly by Alliance For A Just Society and CCAG in Feb 2016. (View the full report at www.ccag.net.) Passage is relevant to everyone with loans. Coming on the heels of CCAG-supported Public Act 15-162 (student bill of rights) and Public Act 15-200 (empowering students to refinance high-interest student loans), the bill also rectified unfair collection processes for students that have been crushed by educational debt in the past (see the entries below for the text of the two Public Acts).
From the 2015 legislative session:
Victory!
Public Act 15-162 A Student Loan Bill of Rights: Connecticut has passed the first Student Loan Bill of Rights in the nation! This bill will ensure that borrowers who take on student loans have adequate resources at their disposal, and gives the Banking Commissioner the authority to investigate and take action against predatory loan servicers.
Victory!
Public Act 15-200 Enabling the Refinancing of Student Loans: This plan allows students to refinance their student loans. Many were formerly locked into high interest rates without the option of refinancing. See Testimony
Victory!
Public Act 15-162 A Student Loan Bill of Rights: Connecticut has passed the first Student Loan Bill of Rights in the nation! This bill will ensure that borrowers who take on student loans have adequate resources at their disposal, and gives the Banking Commissioner the authority to investigate and take action against predatory loan servicers.
Victory!
Public Act 15-200 Enabling the Refinancing of Student Loans: This plan allows students to refinance their student loans. Many were formerly locked into high interest rates without the option of refinancing. See Testimony