S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
2520
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
January 25, 2019
___________
Introduced by Sen. HARCKHAM -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Banks
AN ACT establishing the federal shutdown affected employees loan program
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Definitions. As used in this act, the following terms shall
have the following meanings:
(a) "Affected employee" means a federal employee who, during the shut-
down, is (i) a resident of this state, and (ii) required to work as a
federal employee without pay or furloughed as a federal employee without
pay;
(b) "Bank" means a bank as such term is defined in subdivision 1 of
section 2 of the banking law;
(c) "Credit union" means a credit union as such term is defined in
subdivision 9 of section 2 of the banking law;
(d) "Department" means the department of financial services;
(e) "Eligible financial institution" means a bank or credit union that
has a physical presence in this state and is in good standing;
(f) "Grace period" means the ninety-day period after an affected
employee's federal agency is funded; and
(g) "Shutdown" means the federal fiscal year 2019 partial government
shutdown that began on December 22, 2018.
§ 2. Federal shutdown affected employee loan program. (a) The depart-
ment shall administer a federal shutdown affected employee loan program
to guarantee the repayment of loans made by an eligible financial insti-
tution to an eligible affected employee pursuant to this act. Subject
to the cessation of new claim approvals under subdivision (d) of section
five of this act, the department shall submit all approved claims to the
comptroller, who shall pay from the general fund any and all claims
submitted by the department.
(b) Any bank or credit union may apply to the department to partic-
ipate in the loan guarantee program. Not later than one business day
after receiving the application, the department shall determine whether
the financial institution is an eligible financial institution and imme-
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08858-02-9
S. 2520 2
diately notify the bank or credit union of such determination. Any
eligible financial institution may make loans to affected employees in
accordance with this act.
(c) Each eligible financial institution that makes a loan pursuant to
this act, shall notify the department in writing not later than one
business day after making the loan, specifying such information about
the borrower as the department may request.
§ 3. Loan eligibility. An eligible financial institution may make a
loan to an affected employee, provided:
(a) The affected employee has provided to the eligible financial
institution (i) proof of the employee's status, income and residence in
this state, and (ii) the amount of unemployment compensation benefits
the employee has received and has been deemed eligible to receive during
the shutdown. Such proof may include a paystub or bank statement, a
federal employee identification card, the federal tax identification
number of the employee's employer and a sworn affidavit from such
employee indicating that such employee (A) is currently a federal
employee residing in this state, (B) may be eligible to receive back-pay
when the shutdown ends, and (C) is not receiving a loan from any other
financial institution pursuant to this act.
(b) The amount of the loan shall not exceed (i) the lesser of (A) five
thousand dollars, or (B) the affected employee's most recent monthly
after-tax pay, (ii) less four times the amount, if any, the affected
employee has reported to the eligible financial institution under subdi-
vision (a) of this section related to any weekly unemployment compen-
sation benefits the employee has received or has been deemed eligible to
receive during the shutdown.
(c) The loan is made in accordance with the eligible financial insti-
tution's underwriting policy and standards, provided further that the
affected employee's creditworthiness shall not be a factor used for the
purposes of determining eligibility.
(d) The loan agreement shall not (i) require repayment during the
grace period, or (ii) charge interest on the principal amount before or
during the grace period or for one hundred eighty days after the grace
period, provided after such one hundred eighty-day period, the eligible
financial institution may charge interest or fees in accordance with
such financial institution's lending policy and the terms of the under-
lying loan agreement.
(e) The loan agreement shall require that the affected employee repay
the loan in full not later than one hundred eighty days after the end of
the grace period by making at least three, and no more than six, equal
installment payments. The loan agreement shall not contain a fee or
penalty for the prepayment or early payment of the loan.
(f) The eligible financial institution shall offer credit counseling
services or refer such employee to nonprofit credit counselors.
§ 4. Additional loans. An affected employee who has received a loan
pursuant to this act may apply to the same eligible financial institu-
tion for an additional loan for each thirty-day period such employee
remains an affected employee, provided no affected employee may receive
more than three loans under the program, and each such employee shall be
required to update the eligible financial institution as to the amount
of unemployment compensation benefits the employee has received and has
been deemed eligible to receive during the shutdown. Each additional
loan shall be made in accordance with section three of this act.
§ 5. Collection of loans. (a) On and after one hundred eighty days
from the end of the grace period, an eligible financial institution that
S. 2520 3
has made a good-faith effort to collect the outstanding principal from a
loan issued pursuant to this act may make a claim to the department for
recovery of an amount equal to the outstanding principal for such loan.
Prior to the department's approving and submitting a claim to the comp-
troller, such eligible financial institution shall demonstrate to the
satisfaction of the department that the eligible financial institution
has made a good-faith effort to collect the outstanding principal from
the eligible employee in accordance with such financial institution's
loan servicing and collection policies. Upon payment of a claim, the
loan shall be assigned to the state, and the department shall have the
right to continue collection efforts on the loan.
(b) The department shall maintain records in the regular course of
administration of the loan guarantee program, including a record of
loans issued and of payments made to honor loan guarantees issued under
this section. The department shall regularly review such records to
determine total loans issued and identify duplicative applications. The
department shall report to the department of labor the names of the
affected employees who have received a loan under the program, and the
department of labor shall provide to the department information concern-
ing such employees' unemployment compensation benefits. If the depart-
ment determines that an affected employee misrepresented unemployment
compensation benefits, the affected employee may be deemed ineligible
for additional loans under this act.
(c) The department may terminate any loan guarantee if the eligible
financial institution misrepresents any information pertaining to the
guarantee or fails to comply with any requirements of this section in
connection with the guarantee of the underlying loan.
(d) If the amounts expended to honor loan guarantees under the program
exceed ten percent of total loans issued, the department shall imme-
diately cease to approve claims and shall notify the comptroller and
each eligible financial institution of the total amount of payments made
and that the department has ceased honoring loan guarantees.
(e) Any interest deferred or not charged related to a loan issued
pursuant to this act shall be exempt from all state taxes that may be
applicable to such interest amounts as they relate to an affected
employee. Eligible financial institutions shall disclose to affected
employee borrowers in the signed affidavit or loan documents that there
may be federal tax consequences to the program loans.
(f) No new loan applications shall be submitted under the program
after the shutdown ends. The program shall expire upon the repayment of
all loans made under the program and, for all loans in default, the
repayment of claims made under the program, or the cessation of new
claim approvals under subdivision (d) of this section.
§ 6. Unemployment benefits. Upon the passage of federal legislation or
the issuance of federal guidance from the United States department of
labor or another federal agency which allows an affected employee to
receive benefits, such affected employee may be eligible for unemploy-
ment benefits pursuant to such federal legislation or guidance during
the period of the shutdown. If the shutdown ends and an affected employ-
ee is paid by the federal government for any period of time the affected
employee worked without pay during the shutdown, the affected employee
shall reimburse the unemployment insurance fund in an amount equal to
the unemployment benefits the affected employee received for the period
of the shutdown.
§ 7. This act shall take effect immediately.