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Senate advances loan-forgiveness program for graduates who remain working in Utah
Summary
The Senate voted to move First Substitute Senate Bill 104 to third reading after a lengthy debate. Sponsor Senator Milner described a loan program that would cover tuition/fees/books and forgive 25% of the loan for each year a recipient works in qualifying Utah jobs; the initial appropriation would support about 500 students. The measure passed second-reading 23-2-4.
The Utah Senate advanced First Substitute Senate Bill 104, a proposal to create a talent-development loan-forgiveness program intended to keep college and technical graduates working for Utah companies.
Sponsor Senator Milner told the Senate the program is modeled on an existing loan-forgiveness program and was developed with the governor—s talent-ready initiative, GoEd and business groups. He described the proposal as providing loans for tuition, fees and books for students completing targeted programs; for each year a graduate works in a qualifying Utah job, the state would forgive 25% of the loan.
Milner argued the program would help retain graduates who otherwise might leave the state. "Then what we would do for every year they work in a Utah company, we'd give them 25% loan forgiveness," he said. He added the initial appropriation included in the proposal would support roughly 500 students.
Senators pressed the sponsor on cost and scope. Senator Fillmore asked why taxpayers should provide what he called an additional incentive for high-wage, high-demand jobs and referenced "2 and a half million taxpayer dollars" mentioned in debate as the initial appropriation; Fillmore said he would watch the bill. Senator Bramble supported accountability for scholarships but warned about diverting public-education funding and the mechanics of supporting higher-education institutions.
After debate, the Senate voted to move SB104 to third reading on a roll call of 23 yea, 2 nay, 4 absent. The bill will appear on the third-reading calendar for final floor consideration.
