# Domenic and Ed's Law: Plain Language Summary

This bill makes a change to how parent student loans work when a student becomes severely disabled. Right now, if parents take out loans to pay for their child's college education, they're responsible for repaying that money even if their child becomes permanently disabled and can't work. This bill would allow parents to have those loans forgiven if their child becomes permanently and totally disabled, meaning the parent would no longer owe the money.

The disability has to be serious—it's defined as a condition that prevents someone from doing any kind of substantial work and is expected to either last at least five years continuously or result in death. This includes both physical and mental disabilities that are medically documented. The key change is that parents wouldn't have to keep making loan payments on money they borrowed for their child's education if that child becomes unable to work due to disability.

What makes this bill different from current law is that it removes the requirement for parents to continue paying these loans in situations where their child's disability makes it impossible for them to contribute financially to their own education costs. The bill applies to all parent loans—both old ones already being repaid and new ones taken out in the future—regardless of when the disability started. Essentially, it recognizes that when a child becomes permanently disabled, the financial burden shouldn't fall entirely on the parent to repay education loans that were meant to help that child become self-sufficient.

Domenic and Ed’s Law

Langevin, James R.

Domenic and Ed's Law This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to discharge a parent borrower's liability on Federal Family Education Loans if the student on whose behalf the parent incurred the loans becomes disabled. Specifically, ED must discharge the liability on loans that parents incurred on behalf of a student who (1) has become permanently and totally disabled, or (2) is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity due to a physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or has lasted or is expected to last continuously for at least 60 months. Under current law, ED is required to discharge a parent borrower's liability on these loans only if the student dies.