Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
The Wisconsin Student Loan Refinancing Authority
This bill creates an authority, which is a public body corporate and politic, to be
known as the Wisconsin Student Loan Refinancing Authority (WSLRA). The
WSLRA is governed by a board that consists of four members of the legislature, three
members who are students of an institution of higher education, and two members
with experience in making student loans. The five members of the board who are not
members of the legislature are nominated by the governor, and with the advice and
consent of the senate appointed, to serve two- or three-year terms. The board
appoints the chief executive officer of WSLRA and annually elects the chairperson
of the board. The board is given all the powers necessary or convenient to carry out
its duties, as well as specific powers to conduct its corporate business, including the
power to issue bonds for any corporate purpose.
Under the bill, the board must develop and implement a loan program under
which state residents may refinance student loans. Under the program, WSLRA
provides a loan to an individual to pay off some or all of his or her outstanding student
loan debt. To qualify for the program, an individual must satisfy eligibility
requirements established by WSLRA. Under the bill, WSLRA must provide loans
under the program at the lowest possible interest rate that is still sufficient to cover
the expenses of the program. A loan issued under the program is not dischargeable
in a bankruptcy proceeding.
Financial aid information
This bill requires the Department of Financial Institutions to compile data
related to private student loans for the purpose of comparing private lending
institutions' student loan interest rates and repayment plans. A “private student
loan" is a loan issued by a private lending institution for the purpose of paying for
or financing higher education expenses, including tuition and fees, books and
supplies, and room and board. DFI must create and maintain a list of private lending
institutions that provide the lowest rates and best repayment options on student
loans. DFI must also compile a list of the top ten best private lending institutions
based on rates and policies that are most favorable to the student borrower. DFI
must place these lists on DFI's Internet site and update the Internet site monthly to
ensure that the student loan information in these lists is current and accurate. DFI's
Internet site must also contain information pertaining to lending institutions that
do not make the top ten list, including identifying those lending institutions that
provide the worst rates and strictest repayment options. DFI may satisfy its duties
under the bill through a designee or third-party contractor.
The bill also requires an institution or college campus within the University of
Wisconsin System, a technical college within the technical college system, a tribally
controlled college, or a private, nonprofit institution of higher education located in
this state (institution of higher education) to provide to a prospective or newly
accepted student and to the student's parents clearly outlined and
easy-to-understand information pertaining to all of the following:
1. The total cost of attendance at the institution of higher education.
2. The approximate or, if known, the actual total amount of financial aid that
the student would receive from the institution of higher education, and the
approximate or, if known, the actual total amount of student loan debt that the
student would accumulate, over the course of four years, if the student were to attend
the institution of higher education for four years (student loan debt).
3. Student loan rates, repayment plans, default rates, and the actual monthly
payment that would be required to pay that student loan debt when the loan becomes
due.
Finally, the bill requires an institution of higher education and the Higher
Educational Aids Board to create on their Internet sites a link to that portion of DFI's
Internet site containing the lists and other information required under the bill.
Student loan counseling
This bill requires any institution of higher education in this state that offers an
associate degree or higher to provide loan counseling for its students. Under the bill,
before a student enters into a student loan agreement, the institution must provide
the student with comprehensive information on the terms and conditions of a loan
and the responsibilities the student has with respect to the loan. A lender may not
accept an application for a private student loan, or assess any fees for the loan, unless
the lender has received certification from the applicant's institution of higher
education that the applicant has received such counseling.
The bill also requires an institution of higher education to provide a student
with information when the student leaves the institution, whether through
graduation, transfer, or otherwise. The information must include available loan
repayment plans, debt management strategies, options for prepayment of loans, and
the consequences of defaulting on a loan.
Finally, the bill authorizes an institution of higher education to assess a lender
a reasonable fee of up to $50 to defray the cost of the student counseling required
under the bill.
Student loan debt report
Under current law, HEAB administers certain grant and loan programs for
resident students enrolled in institutions of higher education in this state.
This bill requires HEAB to submit an annual report to the Joint Committee on
Finance regarding student loan debt incurred in the previous year by resident
undergraduate students enrolled in institutions of higher education located in this
state. The report must include that information, together with all of the following:
1. The statewide average amount of student loan debt incurred in the previous
year by resident undergraduate students enrolled in institutions of higher education
located in this state.
2. A comparison of that statewide average to the national average amount of
student loan debt incurred in the previous year by undergraduate students enrolled
in institutions of higher education in the United States.
3. A comparison of that statewide average to the statewide average amount of
student loan debt incurred in the previous year by undergraduate students in the
state with the lowest ratio of statewide average student loan debt to the lowest
quintile of state per capita income.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB444,1
1Section 1
. 13.172 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB444,4,72
13.172
(1) In this section, “agency" means an office, department, agency,
3institution of higher education, association, society, or other body in state
4government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, that
5is entitled to expend moneys appropriated by law, including the legislature and the
6courts, and any authority created in subch. II of ch. 114 or in ch. 231, 233, 234, 238,
7239, or 279.
SB444,2
8Section 2
. 13.48 (13) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB444,4,219
13.48
(13) (a) Except as provided in par. (b) or (c), every building, structure or
10facility that is constructed for the benefit of or use of the state, any state agency,
11board, commission or department, the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics
12Authority, the Fox River Navigational System Authority,
the Wisconsin Student
13Loan Refinancing Authority, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, or
14any local professional baseball park district created under subch. III of ch. 229 if the
15construction is undertaken by the department of administration on behalf of the
16district, shall be in compliance with all applicable state laws, rules, codes and
17regulations but the construction is not subject to the ordinances or regulations of the
18municipality in which the construction takes place except zoning, including without
19limitation because of enumeration ordinances or regulations relating to materials
20used, permits, supervision of construction or installation, payment of permit fees, or
21other restrictions.