Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Senate bill would create law‑school loan repayment to recruit public defenders and prosecutors
Summary
Senate Bill 5027 would establish a loan repayment program, administered by the Student Achievement Council, to assist public defenders and prosecutors with law school debt and prioritize rural areas; sponsors and legal groups urged passage during committee testimony.
Senate Bill 5027, presented to the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee on Jan. 20, would create a law‑school loan repayment program for public defenders and prosecutors, administered by the Washington Student Achievement Council subject to appropriation.
Committee staff summarized the bill: Kelly Gunn said the program would provide up to $20,000 per year in repayment assistance, capped at $120,000 in lifetime assistance, and require recipients to be licensed attorneys practicing full time in public defense or prosecution in Washington. Applicants must commit to at least three years of qualifying work; the council may extend that period for good cause, and scaled repayment penalties would apply for failure to complete the service…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
