FL S0142

Establishes the For the Greater Good Attorney Student Loan Repayment Program within the Department of Education to increase employment and retention of attorneys in the public sector by offsetting student loans issued or guaranteed by state or federal government.

Eligible attorneys must be Florida Bar members, employed full-time by local, state, or federal government in Florida, with no more than 10 years of government service, earning less than $65,000 annually, with no disciplinary history, and have unsatisfied federal or state student loans used for law school.

Department of Education shall make annual payments of $3,000 for attorneys with 4-7 years of continuous government service or $5,000 for those with more than 7 years but not exceeding 10 years of service.

Payments are made directly to the loan servicer (prioritizing the highest interest rate loan if multiple loans exist) and are not considered taxable income; payments require annual certification affidavits from the attorney and employer.

If appropriated funds are insufficient, the Department shall prorate payments equally across all eligible attorneys; program requires annual legislative appropriation to operate.