Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Program Update

(John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act)

Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2010 14:43:59 -0800
Subject: [CLARANET]The John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Grant Program

Note: When you click on the link below, the next link you will want to choose is entitled 2010 John R. Justice Grant Program, and there is a deadline of 01/14/2011 for submission of applications for student loan repayment assistance for this current application cycle.
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From: Janine Williams <Janine.Williams@calema.ca.gov>
Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2010 10:37:38 -0800
Subject: The John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Grant Program

The Solicitation Packet for the John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Grant Program for the State of California has been released. Please go to the link in this email to see how to apply. Thank you for your interest.

http://www.calema.ca.gov/WebPage/oeswebsite.nsf/LEVSRFPPortal?OpenForm

All you have to do is then click on the 2010 John R. Justice Grant Program link, and it will open the Solicitation Packet for you.

Please pass on to whoever may qualify.

Janine Williams
Criminal Justice Specialist II, Cal EMA
janine.williams@calema.ca.gov
916-327-8715

----------------------------- Previous Update Message Appears Below as Background Information Only -----------------------------------

MEMORANDUM

To: CPDA Officers and Board and Members
California Council of Chief Defenders
c/o: Michael Cantrall, CPDA Executive Director

Date: September 7, 2010

From: Michael P. Judge, Chair of CA SLF Working Group
Kimberly Wong, Member, CA SLF Working Group and CPDA Legislative Committee

Re: Student Loan Forgiveness Update

On Tuesday, August 24, 2010, members of the California Student Loan Forgiveness Working Group (CASLF Working Group) met in Sacramento with officials from the California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA), the state agency charged by the Governor with administering California’s share of the John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act. Los Angeles County Public Defender Michael P. Judge formed the CASLF Working Group approximately five years ago to support loan forgiveness legislation for public defenders and prosecutors on both a national as well as statewide level. The CASLF Working Group includes representatives from CPDA, NLADA, NDAA, CDAA, the Los Angeles County Public Defender and the LA County District Attorney. The CASLF Working Group worked closely with Senator Durbin’s Office to ensure passage of the John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act, and as you know, Michael Judge provided testimony to the full United States Judiciary on behalf of defenders nationwide and underscored the importance of loan forgiveness for defenders in order to recruit and retain top talent in light of student loan debt averaging and often exceeding $100,000.

Michael Judge participated in the August 24th meeting with CalEMA representatives via conference call with CalEMA representatives, along with LA County Chief Deputy District Attorney John Spillane and members of the Student Aid Commission. Michael Cantrall and LA County DPD Kimberly Wong attended the meeting in person on behalf of CPDA, along with Scott Thorpe, Executive Director of CDAA. Ms. Wong is the Legislative and Policy Advisor to the Los Angeles County Public Defender.

California’s share of the total $10 million appropriated nationwide this year is approximately $1,045,000. The purpose of the meeting was to emphasize the importance of the JRJ program to defenders and prosecutors across California and to provide our input regarding priorities and standards that should be utilized in designing the individual grant applications that CalEMA will be creating in the coming months. CalEMA expects to make individual JRJ applications available within the next 4-6 months, and we will keep you apprised of progress and timelines for individual applications.

CalEMA intends to keep us involving going forward, including participating in the screening of individual applications. The Student Aid Commission will be involved in much of the mechanics of the operation of the program.

The CASLF Working Group made several recommendations, including:

· Using a range of award amounts with a minimum of $2500/year per beneficiary. Clearly such a minimum amount is not the ultimate goal but merely a get started amount until the aggregate national appropriation is adjusted upward.
o Based on a figure of $2500, approximately 160 prosecutors and 160 defenders would be granted awards in the first year.
o The Student Aid Commission is planning to make loan payments once or twice a year directly to the awardees’ lenders.
· Ensure equitable geographical distribution that takes into account cost of living among other factors.
· Not impose salary caps.
· To satisfy the JRJ requirement of inclusion of “least ability to pay” as a factor, consider total gross family income + total educational debt along with relative cost of living within the state.
· Include at least one representative from CPDA and CDAA respectively, to participate in rating applications.
· Allow the CASLF Working Group to give input on the application format before it is finalized.
· Provide the CASLF Working Group data about all applicants (minus applicant names) to provide us with the information necessary to demonstrate the need to increase federal appropriations of JRJ funds in subsequent years.