#NNPA BlackPress

Election 2020 – Your Cheat Sheet for 12 Propositions to Know About Before Nov. 3

Published

4 years ago

October 7, 2020

2020 is a big election year. With all eyes on the presidential race, Californians can’t afford to lose sight of our state and local elections. These decisions need the same amount of consideration being given to the big race. They are the ones with the most — and the most immediate — effects on you and your family’s safety, quality of life and finances.

This year, California as a whole is reckoning with some big changes. The 12 qualified propositions on the ballot cover many issues, including tax codes, voting rights, workers’ rights and affirmative action. The results of these ballot measures will affect every life in California in some shape or form, and it’s important that voters understand them and make informed decisions on how to vote.

Prop 14 – Authorizes Bonds Continuing Stem Cell Research. Initiative Statute.

Prop 14 considers bonds for stem-cell and other medical research.

If passed, the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine will issue $5.5 billion in state bonds to fund stem cell and other medical research, with $1.5 billion going to research and therapy for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, stroke, epilepsy and other brain and central nervous system diseases. Money would come from the state General Fund.

Proponents of Prop 14 argue that the funding will help accelerate development of treatment and cures for many diseases, including cancer and infectious diseases like COVID-19.

Opponents of the measure say that the state can’t afford the debt from borrowing the $5.5 billion, which would reach $8 billion with interest added. They also point out that the majority of the money from the first stem-cell research measure, Proposition 71 from 2004, went to infrastructure, education, and training, producing few medical breakthroughs.

Prop 15 – Increases Funding for Public Schools, Community Colleges, and Local Government Services by Changing Tax Assessment of Commercial and Industrial Property. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.

Prop 15 asks voters to weigh in on the biggest change to the state’s property tax code in four decades since 1978’s Proposition 13.

If passed, commercial and industrial property will be taxed based on current market value instead of the purchase price. It would replace the current rule, where property taxes can’t rise more than two percent unless there’s new construction or ownership, with tax reassessments of commercial and industrial properties at least every three years.

The new tax revenue this generates, an estimated $6.5 to 11.5 billion, will fund K-12 public schools, community colleges and local governments. The measure would exempt residential properties and owners of commercial properties with a combined value of $3 million or less, and exempt small businesses from personal property tax.

Proponents of Prop 15 argue that the initiative would close corporate tax loopholes and force wealthy corporations to pay their fair share of taxes. They also argue that money is needed for schools and local communities struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Opponents of Prop 15 argue that wealthy corporations and landlords will probably pass the buck to tenants and small businesses, and that any tax raise would ultimately raise the cost of living in the state.

Prop 16 – Allows Diversity as a Factor in Public Employment, Education, and Contracting Decisions. Legislative Constitutional Amendment.

Prop 16, if passed, would remove California’s ban on affirmative action, which was put in place with Prop 209 in 1996. Repealing the ban on affirmative action would allow state agencies and institutions, including colleges and universities, to consider race, ethnicity and gender for employment, admissions and contracting decisions.

Proponents of Prop 16 argue that it would create targeted opportunities for Black and Latino communities and help to correct centuries of economic exclusion and institutional racism. They also argue that the measure is a way to address the racial wealth gap in California, a state where White Californians make up 60% of high earners though they’re only 37% of the state population.

Opponents of Prop 16 argue that the change would make race more important than merit in college admissions and employment processes, a form of reverse discrimination.

Prop 17 – Restores Right to Vote After Completion of Prison Term. Legislative Constitutional Amendment.

Prop 17 concerns voting rights for parolees. If passed, previously incarcerated people will be able to vote while on parole, instead of having to wait until the parole term is over. This would enfranchise over 50,000 parolees, who are disproportionately African American and Latino. California is currently one of three states that require incarcerated persons to finish their prison and parole terms before they can vote. Nineteen states allow parolees to vote.

Those in favor of Prop 17 argue that parolees have paid their debt to society and contribute to their communities through work and community service, so they should have a say in government. Also, they argue that banning parolees from voting disenfranchises a large portion of the Black and Latino vote.

Opponents of the measure, primarily voter watchdog groups, argue that parole is a transition period and previously incarcerated persons have not paid their debt to society until after their parole is over.

Prop 18 – Amends California Constitution to Permit 17-Year-Olds to Vote in Primary and Special Elections If They Will Turn 18 by the Next General Election and Be Otherwise Eligible to Vote. Legislative Constitutional Amendment.

Prop 18 concerns the minimum voting age. If passed, young people who are 17-years-olds at the time of a primary or special election will be able to vote if they will turn 18 by the following general election and are otherwise eligible. This would allow these young adults to exercise their vote across a full election cycle.

Proponents of Prop 18 argue that 17-year-olds can make informed decisions about voting and should be allowed to participate in the full election cycle. They also argue that young people should have a say in issues that directly affect them, and that the change will inspire young people to get more engaged in politics.

Opponents of the measure say that 17-year-olds are still legal minors and can be unduly influenced by parents and teachers.

Prop 19 – Changes Certain Property Tax Rules. Legislative Constitutional Amendment.

Prop 19 regards property tax code changes for older Californians and natural disaster victims. If passed, the proposition would give homeowners who are over 55, disabled, or victims of wildfires and other natural disasters a tax break, allowing them to transfer their primary home’s low property tax base to their new home when they move, up to three times.

It would also change the inheritance tax break to require heirs to use the inherited home as their primary residence within a year, or else the property tax will be reassessed to market value. If passed, local governments and schools could gain tens of millions of dollars in new property tax revenue per year, and the initiative would also establish a fund for fire protection.

Proponents argue that Prop 19 will provide tax relief for seniors who are stuck in houses that they can’t maintain or are too far from family or medical care. They also argue that narrowing the inheritance tax break would generate more revenue for local governments and schools, since people who use inherited property as rental units or second homes would be forced to pay more taxes.

Opponents argue that the initiative would increase inequality by allowing homeowners to take the tax break, their initial home’s low property tax base, with them for up to three properties, instead of the current limit of one move. They say it would put people who are struggling to buy a home at a disadvantage, giving more purchasing power to existing homeowners.

Prop 20 – Restricts Parole for Certain Offenses Currently Considered to Be Non-Violent. Authorizes Felony Sentences for Certain Offenses Currently Treated Only as Misdemeanors. Initiative Statute.

Prop 20, if passed, would change procedures and standards for the state Board of Parole Hearings and community probation programs, and expand the list of offenses that disqualify an inmate from parole. It would change several theft-related crimes from misdemeanors to felonies and create two new crimes, serial theft and organized retail theft. It would also expand DNA testing to require samples from some people convicted of theft and domestic violence.

Those who support Prop 20 argue that previous prison reforms, specifically propositions 47 in 2014 and 57 in 2016, led to an increase in crime by repeat offenders, and tougher parole standards are needed.

Opponents of Prop 20 argue that the measure is a prison spending scheme that will increase spending for prisons, money that should go to programs like schools, rehabilitation, mental health and homelessness.

Prop 21 – Expands Local Governments’ Authority to Enact Rent Control on Residential Property. Initiative Statute.

Prop 21 is the latest rent control proposition. If passed, it would amend state law to allow local governments to establish rent control for residential properties over 15 years old. Local rent-control limits can differ from the statewide limit, but local governments would be required to allow landlords to increase rents by 15 % after three years. Also, people who own no more than two housing units with separate titles, such as single-family homes and duplexes, are exempt from rent control. Currently, 64% of African Americans in California are renters.

Those in favor of Prop 21 argue that putting a cap on California’s sky-high rents is a strategic move that will assist renters to stay in their homes and help prevent homelessness. Half of renter households in the state are overburdened and spend more than 30 % of their incomes on rent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Opponents, primarily developers, landlords and business owners, argue that rent control would discourage construction and take affordable units off the market.

Prop 22 – Exempts App-Based Transportation and Delivery Companies From Providing Employee Benefits to Certain Drivers. Initiative Statute

Prop 22 is about employment classification for rideshare and delivery drivers, affecting the companies Uber, Lyft and DoorDash, among others. If it passes, these companies will be allowed to continue to classify their drivers as independent contractors with benefits from those app-based companies, including a base wage and healthcare subsidies. Currently, these drivers are legally classified as employees under AB-5.

Proponents of the ballot measure argue it would allow gig drivers, who are majority African American and Latino, to keep their flexibility and continue earning income in a turbulent economy.

Those against Prop 22 argue that it would allow the companies to underpay their drivers, and exempt gig companies from providing standard benefits that drivers need, like unemployment insurance, paid time off, and workers compensation.

Prop 23 – Authorizes State Regulation of Kidney Dialysis Clinics. Establishes Minimum Staffing and Other Requirements. Initiative Statute.

Prop 23 regards state regulation of dialysis clinics. If Prop 23 passes, all dialysis clinics would require at least one licensed physician on-site during treatment. It would also require clinics to report infection data to state health officials and require state approval for clinics to close or reduce services. State and local health care costs would increase due to increased dialysis treatment costs.

Supporters of Prop 23 argue that the regulations are necessary to keep large dialysis corporations in line.

Opponents of Prop 23 argue that many dialysis clinics would have to restrict hours or shut down if they had to pay a licensed physician, and that dialysis patients would have trouble affording increased treatment costs. They also note that the proposition does not require that the physicians have any specialized knowledge in dialysis or kidney function.

Prop 24 – Amends Privacy Laws. Initiative Statute.

Prop 24 concerns consumer data privacy laws, which prevent businesses from sharing personal information gathered digitally, including from websites. If passed, it would strengthen the California Consumer Privacy Act by letting consumers tell businesses to limit the use of their sensitive data, such as an individual’s exact location and race, and prohibiting businesses from keeping consumer data for longer than necessary. It would also establish a new state agency dedicated to enforcing privacy laws and increase financial penalties for violations concerning consumers under age 16.

Those in favor of Prop 24 argue that the current consumer privacy law isn’t strong enough, and that the measure would give people more control over their personal data, and make it easier for consumers to sue companies if their email accounts and passwords are stolen or hacked.

Opponents say the measure was written behind closed doors and included the participation of companies that are the targets of regulation.

Prop 25 – Referendum on Law That Replaced Money Bail with System Based on Public Safety and Flight Risk

Proposition 25 is a veto referendum on SB 10, a 2018 law that would replace cash bail with risk assessments for suspects awaiting trial. If Prop 25 passes, it would replace the current system, where suspects pay a cash bond to be released from jail with a promise to return for trail, with risk assessment to determine whether a detained suspect is a flight risk or a danger to the public. The state superior courts would establish divisions responsible for conducting risk assessments and making recommendations, and the state Judicial Court would determine which factors are considered for the assessments.

Prop 25 supporters argue that the risk assessment system would be fairer than the current system, which depends on a suspect’s ability to afford bail.

Opponents of Prop 25 argue that the risk assessments will likely discriminate against Black and Brown people and increase racial profiling. They also point out that it will give judges unchecked power with no accountability, and that setting up the new system would cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

For more information on the propositions visit the California Secretary of State Website: https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/qualified-ballot-measures

Michelle Snider

Associate Editor for The Post News Group. Writer, Photographer, Videographer, Copy Editor, and website editor documenting local events in the Oakland-Bay Area California area.

Posts by Michelle Snider | Website

Up Next

Churches Open Up Again in San Francisco

Don't Miss

CROWN Act Passed House of Representatives

Michelle Snider

Associate Editor for The Post News Group. Writer, Photographer, Videographer, Copy Editor, and website editor documenting local events in the Oakland-Bay Area California area.

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

IN MEMORIAM: Beloved ‘Good Times’ Star and Emmy-Nominated Actor, John Amos, Dies at 84

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Amos’ acting career spanned over five decades, with his most iconic role being that of James Evans Sr., the no-nonsense, hard-working father on the groundbreaking CBS sitcom “Good Times” (1974–1979). The show, which was the first sitcom to center on an African American family, became a cultural touchstone, and Amos’ portrayal of James Evans Sr. made him a symbol of strength and dignity for countless viewers.

Published

4 weeks ago

October 6, 2024

Oakland Post

March 10, 2011 - Actor/Producer John Amos in a publicity photo for, “Their Voices, Their Stories: African American Veterans Who Served on Iwo Jima.” Catherine Farmer, National Archives.

By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

John Amos, the Emmy-nominated actor and pioneering television star who brought to life some of the most beloved characters in entertainment history, has died. He was 84. His son, K.C. Amos, confirmed in a statement that Amos passed away more than a month ago, on Aug. 21, in Los Angeles of natural causes. The younger Amos didn’t say why he kept his father’s death under wraps for more than a month.

“It is with heartfelt sadness that I share with you that my father has transitioned,” K.C. said. “He was a man with the kindest heart and a heart of gold… and he was loved the world over. Many fans consider him their TV father. He lived a good life. His legacy will live on in his outstanding works in television and film as an actor.”

Amos’ acting career spanned over five decades, with his most iconic role being that of James Evans Sr., the no-nonsense, hard-working father on the groundbreaking CBS sitcom “Good Times” (1974–1979). The show, which was the first sitcom to center on an African American family, became a cultural touchstone, and Amos’ portrayal of James Evans Sr. made him a symbol of strength and dignity for countless viewers.

However, his time on the series was cut short after three seasons due to creative differences with the show’s producers. Amos famously clashed with the show’s direction, objecting to what he saw as the stereotypical portrayal of his on-screen son, J.J., played by Jimmie Walker.

“We had a number of differences,” Amos recalled in later interviews, according to the Hollywood Reporter. “I felt too much emphasis was being put on J.J. in his chicken hat, saying ‘Dy-no-mite!’ every third page.” Amos’ insistence on portraying a more balanced, positive image of the Black family on television led to his departure from the show in 1976, when his character was written out in a dramatic two-part episode.

Born John Allen Amos Jr. on Dec. 27, 1939, in Newark, New Jersey, Amos began his professional life with dreams of playing football. He played the sport at Colorado State University and had brief stints with teams like the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs. But after a series of injuries and cutbacks, Amos transitioned to entertainment, beginning his career as a writer and performer.

Amos got his first major acting break as Gordy Howard, the good-natured weatherman on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” appearing on the iconic series from 1970 to 1973. He would go on to write and perform sketches on “The Leslie Uggams Show” and later landed roles in various television series and films.

In 1977, Amos received an Emmy nomination for his powerful portrayal of the adult Kunta Kinte in the landmark ABC miniseries “Roots,” a role that solidified his status as one of television’s most respected actors. Amos’ performance in “Roots”, one of the most watched and culturally significant TV events of all time, remains one of his most enduring achievements.

In addition to his success on television, Amos made his mark in films. He appeared in Melvin Van Peebles’ groundbreaking blaxploitation film “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song” (1971) and “The World’s Greatest Athlete” (1973). He was widely recognized for his role in “Coming to America” (1988), where he played Cleo McDowell, the owner of McDowell’s, a fast-food restaurant parody of McDonald’s. Amos reprised the role over three decades later in “Coming to America 2” (2021).

His filmography also includes the Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby classic “Let’s Do It Again” (1975), “The Beastmaster” (1982), “Die Hard 2” (1990), “Ricochet” (1991), “Mac” (1992), “For Better or Worse” (1995), “The Players Club” (1998), “Night Trap” (1993), and “Because of Charley” (2021).

Amos was also a familiar face on television throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, with recurring roles in shows like “The West Wing” as Admiral Percy Fitzwallace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” as Will Smith’s stepfather. He appeared in “The District,” “Men in Trees,” “All About the Andersons” (as Anthony Anderson’s father), and the Netflix series “The Ranch.”

Beyond acting, Amos had a passion for writing and performing in theater. In the 1990s, when he found it challenging to secure roles in Hollywood, he wrote and starred in the one-person play “Halley’s Comet,” about an 87-year-old man waiting in the woods for the comet’s arrival. He toured with the production for over 20 years, performing in cities across the United States and abroad.

In addition to his onscreen and stage accomplishments, Amos co-produced the documentary “America’s Dad,” which explored his life and career. He was also involved in Broadway, appearing in Carl Reiner’s “Tough to Get Help” production in 1972.

John Amos’ life and career were not without personal challenges. In recent years, he was embroiled in a public legal battle between his children, K.C. and Shannon, over accusations of elder abuse.

This unfortunate chapter cast a shadow over his later years. However, his legacy as a beloved television father and one of Hollywood’s pioneering Black actors remains untarnished.

Both K.C. and Shannon, children from his first marriage to artist Noel “Noni” Mickelson and his ex-wife, actress Lillian Lehman, survive Amos.

Photo of the Evans family from the television program “Good Times.” From left: Ralph Carter (Michael), BernNadette Stanis (Thelma), Jimmie Walker (J.J.), Esther Rolle (Florida), John Amos (James).

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Reading and Moving: Great Ways to Help Children Grow

NNPA NEWSWIRE — In these formative years, your little one will learn to walk, learn how to grab and hold items, begin building their muscle strength, and more. Here are some ways to facilitate positive motor development at home:

Published

2 months ago

September 9, 2024

Oakland Post

Council for Professional Recognition

Before a child even steps into a classroom or childcare center, their first life lessons occur within the walls of their home. During their formative years, from birth to age five, children undergo significant cognitive, motor, and behavioral development. As their primary guides and first teachers, parents, and guardians play a pivotal role in fostering these crucial aspects of growth.

The Council for Professional Recognition, a nonprofit, is dedicated to supporting parents and families in navigating questions about childcare and education training. In keeping with its goal of meeting the growing need for qualified early childcare and education staff, the Council administers the Child Development Associate (CDA). The CDA program is designed to assess and credential early childhood education professionals. This work gives the Council great insights into child development.

Cognitive Development: Building the Foundation of Learning

Cognitive development lays the groundwork for a child’s ability to learn, think, reason, and solve problems.

Read Together: One of the most powerful tools for cognitive development is reading. It introduces children to language, expands their vocabulary, and sparks imagination. Make reading a daily ritual by choosing age-appropriate books that capture their interest.
Play Together: Play is a child’s entry to the physical, social, and affective worlds. It’s a critical and necessary tool in the positive cognitive development of young children and is directly linked to long-term academic success.
Dance and Sing Together: These types of activities help young children develop spatial awareness and lead to improved communication skills. As a bonus, it’s also helpful for improving gross motor skills.
Invite your Child to Help you in the Kitchen: It’s a fun activity to do together and helps establish a basic understanding of math and lifelong healthy eating practices.
Encourage Questions: As children find their voice, they also find their curiosity for the world around them; persuade them to ask questions and then patiently provide answers.

Motor Development: Mastering Movement Skills

Motor development involves the refinement of both gross and fine motor skills, which are essential for physical coordination and independence. In these formative years, your little one will learn to walk, learn how to grab and hold items, begin building their muscle strength, and more. Here are some ways to facilitate positive motor development at home:

Tummy Time: Starting from infancy, incorporate daily tummy time sessions to strengthen neck and upper body muscles, promoting eventual crawling and walking. You can elevate the tummy time experience by:
- Giving children lots of open-ended toys to explore like nesting bowls, a pail and shovel, building blocks, wooden animals, and people figures.
- Hanging artwork on the wall that appeals to infants, including bold colors, clear designs, and art from various cultures.
- Providing mobiles that children can move safely and observe shapes and colors.
Outdoor Play: Provide opportunities for outdoor play, whether it’s at a park, playground, or in a backyard. Activities such as running, jumping, climbing, and swinging enhance gross motor skills while allowing children to connect with nature. Also, try gardening together! Not only does gardening promote motor skill development, but it offers many other benefits for young children including stress management, cognitive and emotional development, sensory development, and increased interest in math, sciences, and healthy eating.
Fine Motor Activities: Fine motor skills relate to movement of the hands and upper body, as well as vision. Activities that encourage hand-eye coordination and fine motor skill development include:
- Drawing and coloring
- Doing puzzles, with size and piece amounts dependent on the age of the child
- Dropping items or threading age-appropriate beads on strings
- Stacking toys
- Shaking maracas
- Using age-appropriate, blunt scissors
- Playing with puppets or playdough

This is the type of knowledge that early childhood educators who’ve earned a Child Development Associate credential exhibit as they foster the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive growth of young children.

Supporting Early Childhood Educators

Recently, a decision in Delaware has helped early childhood professionals further their efforts to apply this type of knowledge. Delaware State University, Delaware Technical Community College, and Wilmington University have signed agreements to award 12 credits for current and incoming students who hold the Child Development Associate credential.

Delaware Governor John Carney said, “I applaud the Department of Education and our higher education partners for this agreement, which will support our early childhood educators. Research shows how important early childhood education is to a child’s future success. This new agreement will help individuals earn their degrees and more quickly get into classrooms to do the important work of teaching our youngest learners in Delaware.”

Council for Professional Recognition CEO Calvin E. Moore, Jr., said his organization is honored to be a part of this partnership.

“Delaware and the work of these institutions is a model that other states should look to. This initiative strengthens the early childhood education workforce by accelerating the graduation of more credentialed educators, addressing the critical need for qualified educators in early childhood education. We have already seen the impact the work of the Early Childhood Innovation Center has brought to the children of Delaware.”

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Student Loan Debt Drops $10 Billion Due to Biden Administration Forgiveness

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The Center for American Progress estimates the interest waiver provisions would deliver relief to roughly 6 million Black borrowers, or 23 percent of the estimated number of borrowers receiving relief, as well as 4 million Hispanic or Latino borrowers (16 percent) and 13.5 million white borrowers (53 percent).

Published

2 months ago

September 9, 2024

Charlene Crowell NNPA Newswire Columnist

New Education Department Rules hold hope for 30 million more borrowers

By Charlene Crowell, The Center for Responsible Lending

As consumers struggle to cope with mounting debt, a new economic report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York includes an unprecedented glimmer of hope. Although debt for mortgages, credit cards, auto loans and more increased by billions of dollars in the second quarter of 2024, student loan debt decreased by $10 billion.

According to the New York Fed, borrowers ages 40-49 and ages 18-29 benefitted the most from the reduction in student loan debt.

In a separate and recent independent finding, 57 percent of Black Americans hold more than $25,000 in student loan debt compared to 47 percent of Americans overall, according to The Motley Fool’s analysis of student debt by geography, age and race. Black women have an average of $41,466 in undergraduate student loan debt one year after graduation, more than any other group and $10,000 more than men.

This same analysis found that Washington, DC residents carried the highest average federal student loan debt balance, with $54,146 outstanding per borrower. Americans holding high levels of student debt lived in many of the nation’s most populous states – including California, Texas, and Florida.

The Fed’s recent finding may be connected to actions taken by the Biden administration to rein in unsustainable debt held by people who sought higher education as a way to secure a better quality of life. This decline is even more noteworthy in light of a series of legal roadblocks to loan forgiveness. In response to these legal challenges, the Education Department on August 1 began emailing all borrowers of an approaching August 30 deadline to contact their loan servicer to decline future financial relief. Borrowers preferring to be considered for future relief proposed by pending departmental regulations should not respond.

If approved as drafted, the new rules would benefit over 30 million borrowers, including those who have already been approved for debt cancellation over the past three years.

“These latest steps will mark the next milestone in our efforts to help millions of borrowers who’ve been buried under a mountain of student loan interest, or who took on debt to pay for college programs that left them worse off financially, those who have been paying their loans for twenty or more years, and many others,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.

The draft rules would benefit borrowers with either partial or full forgiveness in the following categories:

Borrowers who owe more now than they did at the start of repayment. This category is expected to largely benefit nearly 23 million borrowers, the majority of whom are Pell Grant recipients.
Borrowers who have been in repayment for decades. Borrowers of both undergraduate and graduate loans who began repayment on or before July 1, 2000 would qualify for relief in this category.
Borrowers who are otherwise eligible for loan forgiveness but have not yet applied. If a borrower hasn’t successfully enrolled in an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan but would be eligible for immediate forgiveness, they would be eligible for relief. Borrowers who would be eligible for closed school discharge or other types of forgiveness opportunities but haven’t successfully applied would also be eligible for this relief.
Borrowers who enrolled in low-financial value programs. If a borrower attended an institution that failed to provide sufficient financial value, or that failed one of the Department’s accountability standards for institutions, those borrowers would also be eligible for debt relief.

Most importantly, if the rules become approved as drafted, no related application or actions would be required from eligible borrowers — so long as they did not opt out of the relief by the August 30 deadline.

“The regulations would deliver on unfulfilled promises made by the federal government to student loan borrowers over decades and offer remedies for a dysfunctional system that has often created a financial burden, rather than economic mobility, for student borrowers pursuing a better future,” stated the Center for American Progress in an August 7 web article. “Meanwhile, the Biden-Harris administration also introduced income limits and caps on relief to ensure the borrowers who can afford to pay the full amount of their debts do so.”

“The Center for American Progress estimates the interest waiver provisions would deliver relief to roughly 6 million Black borrowers, or 23 percent of the estimated number of borrowers receiving relief, as well as 4 million Hispanic or Latino borrowers (16 percent) and 13.5 million white borrowers (53 percent).”

These pending regulations would further expand the $168.5 billion in financial relief that the Biden Administration has already provided to borrowers:

$69.2 billion for 946,000 borrowers through fixes to Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
$51 billion for more than 1 million borrowers through administrative adjustments to IDR payment counts. These adjustments have brought borrowers closer to forgiveness and addressed longstanding concerns with the misuse of forbearance by loan servicers.
$28.7 billion for more than 1.6 million borrowers who were cheated by their schools, saw their institutions precipitously close, or are covered by related court settlements.
$14.1 billion for more than 548,000 borrowers with a total and permanent disability.
$5.5 billion for 414,000 borrowers through the SAVE Plan.

More information for borrowers about this debt relief is available at StudentAid.gov/debt-relief.

Charlene Crowell is a senior fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.