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Bill Would Halt Collection on Some Student and Medical Debt

Rep Jessica Miranda (D-Forest Park)
Jo Ingles
/
Statehouse News Bureau
Rep Jessica Miranda (D-Forest Park) says halting the collection of student and medical debt would prevent the loans from getting to the point where people won't ever pay them off.

A bill is being introduced in the Ohio Legislature that would halt the collection of student and medical debt owed to the state's universities and hospitals.  

The bill (HB32) would do what is already being done with federal student loans and some federal debt—put the collection of it on hold. Democratic Rep. Jessica Miranda (D-Forest Park) says many Ohioans who owe those debts are suffering during this pandemic and need the relief. 

“It wouldn’t keep compounding this debt for folks who have it in terms of interest and penalties because we know people are going through a hard time right now. The least we can do as a state is make sure this debt doesn’t become insurmountable where we can never get out from underneath it," Miranda said.

Miranda says she doesn’t yet know how much it will cost the state but expects to have those figures when the bill gets consideration by a legislative committee. Rep. Catherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati) is a co-sponsor of the bill.
Copyright 2021 The Statehouse News Bureau. To see more, visit The Statehouse News Bureau.

Jo Ingles
Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.