S 161 New York Senate · 2025 Regular Session

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

Summary

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.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

May 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

Assembly Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 8, 2025 Last action May 4, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

S161 → S161A · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends the New York State District Attorney and Indigent Legal Services Attorney Loan Forgiveness Program to increase financial support for eligible attorneys. The primary changes involve raising the maximum reimbursement amount per year and extending the total number of years an attorney can receive grants.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of financial assistance available under the existing program by increasing both the annual cap and the cumulative duration of benefits.

FISCAL

The maximum reimbursement amount per qualifying year was increased from $3,400 to $8,000.

The total number of years an eligible attorney can receive grants was increased from 6 years to 8 years.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the act was changed from April 1, 2026, to April 1, 2027.

TECHNICAL

The bill text was updated to reflect that the legislation has been amended and recommitted to the Committee on Higher Education.

Floor votes · Senate May 13, 2025

How they voted

56–1

Passed · 5 other

Total votes 62

May 13, 2025

D Democratic40

36 Yea 4

90% Yea

R Republican22

20 Yea 1 Nay 1

90% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 4, 2026

Committee

REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION

lower

May 4, 2026

Upper · Passed

PASSED SENATE

upper

Feb 10, 2026

Committee

REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE

upper

Feb 2, 2026

Upper · Passed

PRINT NUMBER 161A

upper

Feb 2, 2026

Upper · Passed

AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO HIGHER EDUCATION

upper

Jan 7, 2026

Committee

REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION

upper

May 13, 2025

Committee

REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION

lower

May 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

PASSED SENATE

upper

Jan 8, 2025

Committee

REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION

upper

1 primary · 24 co-sponsors