New York legislation · 2025-2026 General Assembly
New York A1602: Expands the eligibility period for indigent legal service attorneys to receive certain loan forgiveness and increases loan reimbursement for certain attorneys who work in legal services with indigent clients
Status: In committee, March 3, 2026
Expands the eligibility period for indigent legal service attorneys to receive certain loan forgiveness; increases loan reimbursement for certain attorneys who work in legal services with indigent clients.
What the bill says
An act to amend the education law, in relation to the New York state district attorney and indigent legal services attorney loan forgiveness program.
From the amended text, March 3, 2026:
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to the New York state district attorney and indigent legal services attorney loan forgiveness program THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Paragraph b of subdivision 2 of section 679-e of the education law, as amended by section 1 of part VV of chapter 56 of the laws of 2009, is amended to read as follows: b. "Eligible period" means the [six-year] EIGHT-YEAR period after completion of the [third] SECOND year and before the commencement of the [tenth] ELEVENTH year of employment as an eligible attorney. For purposes of this section, all periods of time during which an admitted attorney was employed as an eligible attorney and all periods of time during which a law school graduate awaiting admission to the New York state bar was employed by a prosecuting [or] AGENCY, criminal defense agency, OR NON-PROFIT INDIGENT CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION as permitted by section four hundred eighty-four of the judiciary law shall be combined. EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD00120-03-6 A. 1602--A 2 § 2. Paragraph d of subdivision 2 of section 679-e of the education law, as amended by section 1 of part VV …
Sponsors
- Jo Simon (D, 52) · primary sponsor
- Harvey Epstein (D, 74)
- Jeffrey Dinowitz (D, 81)
- William Magnarelli (D, 129)
- Michael Tannousis (R, 64)
- David McDonough (R, 14)
- Chantel Jackson (D, 79)
- Catalina Cruz (D, 39)
- Anna Kelles (D, 125)
- Albert Stirpe (D, 127)
- Latrice Walker (D, 55)
- Forrest, Phara Souffrant (I, 57)
Latest actions
- : PRINT NUMBER 1602A
- : AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO HIGHER EDUCATION
- : REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
- : REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
Subjects: Education Law
Common questions
- What is A1602?
- A1602 is a bill in the New York Legislature (2025-2026 General Assembly): Expands the eligibility period for indigent legal service attorneys to receive certain loan forgiveness and increases loan reimbursement for certain attorneys who work in legal services with indigent clients.
- What does A1602 do?
- In its own words: An act to amend the education law, in relation to the New York state district attorney and indigent legal services attorney loan forgiveness program.
- What is the status of A1602?
- In committee as of March 3, 2026. Latest action: PRINT NUMBER 1602A (March 3, 2026).
- Who sponsored A1602?
- Jo Simon (D, 52), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for A1602?
- On the New York Legislature website: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A1602
Source: official New York record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.