PUBLIC ATTORNEY ASSISTANCE
Summary
Amends the Public Interest Attorney Assistance Act. Allows a solo practitioner in or employed by a private practice in a county with 20 or fewer attorneys in private practice to be considered a "public interest attorney" who may apply for loan repayment assistance under the Public Interest Attorney Loan Repayment Assistance Program. Allows a graduate of a law school located in the State who is a licensed attorney in another state in good standing to be eligible for assistance. Adds as an eligibility requirement that an applicant must not have earned more than $120,000 from the practice of law in the prior 12 months. Raises the maximum amount of assistance to $10,000 (rather than $6,000) per year and $50,000 (rather than $30,000) during a program participant's career. Makes other changes.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 6, 2026
Last action Mar 27, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
5
Key actions
0
Committee
3
Mar 27, 2026
Committee
Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
lower
Feb 24, 2026
Committee
Assigned to Appropriations-Higher Education Committee
lower
Feb 10, 2026
Committee
Referred to Rules Committee
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Dave Vella
DDemocratic
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