Senator Sal DiDomenico joined his legislative colleagues to pass legislation to prevent individuals who default on their student loans from having their license or professional certification revoked as a result. As of Fall 2022, approximately one million Massachusetts residents hold a combined total of nearly $31 billion dollars in federal student loan debt, with an average debt of $34,146 per borrower.
“There are countless Massachusetts residents who worked hard for a professional license so they could find a steady career, and I am extremely proud to pass this bill protecting their livelihood,” said Senator DiDomenico, Assistant Majority Leader of the Massachusetts Senate. “Student loan debt burdens around one million Bay Staters, and with payments set to resume next June, there is no better time to take this decisive action which will help people in debt to keep their jobs and will actually enable them to continue paying back what they owe. I want to thank Senate President Spilka, Senator Eldridge, and Representative Higgins for all their efforts to protect borrowers in Massachusetts.”
Under current Massachusetts law, residents can have their licenses or professional certification revoked, denied, or refused for renewal as a result of defaulting on their student loan debt. Massachusetts is one of only 14 states with such a law. The bill does away with the law and blocks any state agency or board of registration from denying or revoking any license or professional or occupational certificate or registration based on an individual’s default on an educational loan.
The bill does not change the state’s ability to use traditional loan collection tools.
Having previously passed both the Senate and the House of Representatives, the bill goes to the Governor for his consideration.