Student Assistance General Provisions, Federal Perkins Loan Program, Federal Family Education Loan Program, William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant Program; Corrections

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 139 (Thursday, July 19, 2018)

Federal Register Volume 83, Number 139 (Thursday, July 19, 2018)

Rules and Regulations

Pages 34047-34049

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov

FR Doc No: 2018-15260

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

34 CFR Part 685

Docket ID ED-2017-OPE-0112

RIN 1840-AD28

Student Assistance General Provisions, Federal Perkins Loan Program, Federal Family Education Loan Program, William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant Program; Corrections

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Final rule; correcting amendments.

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SUMMARY: In the Federal Register of February 14, 2018, the Department of Education (Department) published a final rule (the delay rule) delaying, until July 1, 2019, the effective date of selected provisions of the final regulations entitled Student Assistance General Provisions, Federal Perkins Loan Program, Federal Family Education Loan Program, William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant Program (the 2016 final regulations), published in the Federal Register on November 1, 2016. This rule inadvertently omitted regulations from the list in the DATES section of regulations for which the effective date is delayed. This document removes the regulations that we intended to delay from the text of the Code of Federal Regulations and specifies July 1, 2019 as their effective date.

DATES: This rule is effective July 19, 2018 except for amendatory instruction 3 which is effective July 1, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Annmarie Weisman, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Mail Stop 294-20, Washington, DC 20202-6244. Telephone: (202) 453-6712. Email: email protected.

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf or a text telephone, call the Federal Relay Service, toll free, at 1-800-877-

8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the delay rule (83 FR 6458), the list of regulations in the DATES section in the first column on page 6459, for which the effective date is delayed until July 1, 2019, inadvertently excluded Sec. 685.300(b)(11), (b)(12), and (d) through (i). Those regulations were properly included in the list of regulations for which the effective date is delayed in the body of the document (in the third column of page 6459) and discussed elsewhere in the document. However, to effectuate this correction and restore the Code of Federal Regulations to properly reflect the delay, we are publishing amendatory language that will remove these provisions.

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking

In accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 553, it is the Secretary's practice to offer interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed regulations. However, the actions in this document are merely to correct a technical error, and thus, the Secretary has determined that publication of a proposed rule is unnecessary under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B).

Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this document in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to the contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations via the Federal Digital System at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site.

You may also access documents of the Department published in the Federal Register by using the article search feature at: www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published by the Department.

List of Subjects in 34 CFR Part 685

Administrative practice and procedure, Colleges and universities, Loan programs--education, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Student aid, Vocational education.

Dated: July 12, 2018.

Betsy DeVos,

Secretary of Education.

For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Secretary of Education amends part 685 of title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations as follows:

PART 685--WILLIAM D. FORD FEDERAL DIRECT LOAN PROGRAM

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1. The authority citation for part 685 continues to read as follows:

Page 34048

Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070g, 1087a, et seq., unless otherwise noted.

Sec. 685.300 Amended

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2. Effective July 19, 2018, Sec. 685.300 is amended by:

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1. Removing paragraph (b)(11) and redesignating paragraph (b)(12) as paragraph (b)(11).

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2. Removing paragraphs (d) through (i).

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   3. Effective July 1, 2019, Sec. 685.300 is amended by:

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1. Redesignating paragraph (b)(11) as paragraph (b)(12).

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2. Adding a new paragraph (b)(11).

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3. Adding paragraphs (d) through (i).

   The additions read as follows:

   Sec. 685.300 Agreements between an eligible school and the Secretary for participation in the Direct Loan Program.

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   (b) * * *

   (11) Comply with the provisions of paragraphs (d) through (i) of this section regarding student claims and disputes.

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   (d) Borrower defense claims in an internal dispute process. The school will not compel any student to pursue a complaint based on a borrower defense claim through an internal dispute process before the student presents the complaint to an accrediting agency or government agency authorized to hear the complaint.

   (e) Class action bans. (1) The school will not seek to rely in any way on a predispute arbitration agreement or on any other predispute agreement with a student who has obtained or benefited from a Direct Loan, with respect to any aspect of a class action that is related to a borrower defense claim, including to seek a stay or dismissal of particular claims or the entire action, unless and until the presiding court has ruled that the case may not proceed as a class action and, if that ruling may be subject to appellate review on an interlocutory basis, the time to seek such review has elapsed or the review has been resolved.

   (2) Reliance on a predispute arbitration agreement, or on any other predispute agreement, with a student, with respect to any aspect of a class action includes, but is not limited to, any of the following:

   (i) Seeking dismissal, deferral, or stay of any aspect of a class action.

   (ii) Seeking to exclude a person or persons from a class in a class action.

   (iii) Objecting to or seeking a protective order intended to avoid responding to discovery in a class action.

   (iv) Filing a claim in arbitration against a student who has filed a claim on the same issue in a class action.

   (v) Filing a claim in arbitration against a student who has filed a claim on the same issue in a class action after the trial court has denied a motion to certify the class but before an appellate court has ruled on an interlocutory appeal of that motion, if the time to seek such an appeal has not elapsed or the appeal has not been resolved.

   (vi) Filing a claim in arbitration against a student who has filed a claim on the same issue in a class action after the trial court in that class action has granted a motion to dismiss the claim and, in doing so, the court noted that the consumer has leave to refile the claim on a class basis, if the time to refile the claim has not elapsed.

   (3) Required provisions and notices:

   (i) The school must include the following provision in any agreements with a student recipient of a Direct Loan for attendance at the school, or, with respect to a Parent PLUS Loan, a student for whom the PLUS loan was obtained, that include any agreement regarding predispute arbitration or any other predispute agreement addressing class actions and that are entered into after the effective date of this regulation: ``We agree that neither we nor anyone else will use this agreement to stop you from being part of a class action lawsuit in court. You may file a class action lawsuit in court or you may be a member of a class action lawsuit even if you do not file it. This provision applies only to class action claims concerning our acts or omissions regarding the making of the Direct Loan or the provision by us of educational services for which the Direct Loan was obtained. We agree that only the court is to decide whether a claim asserted in the lawsuit is a claim regarding the making of the Federal Direct Loan or the provision of educational services for which the loan was obtained.''

   (ii) When a predispute arbitration agreement or any other predispute agreement addressing class actions has been entered into before the effective date of this regulation and does not contain a provision described in paragraph (e)(3)(i) of this section, the school must either ensure the agreement is amended to contain the provision specified in paragraph (e)(3)(iii)(A) of this section or provide the student to whom the agreement applies with the written notice specified in paragraph (e)(3)(iii)(B) of this section.

   (iii) The school must ensure the agreement described in paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section is amended to contain the provision specified in paragraph (e)(3)(iii)(A) of this section or must provide the notice specified in paragraph (e)(3)(iii)(B) of this section to students no later than the exit counseling required under Sec. 685.304(b), or the date on which the school files its initial response to a demand for arbitration or service of a complaint from a student who has not already been sent a notice or amendment.

   (A) Agreement provision. ``We agree that neither we nor anyone else who later becomes a party to this agreement will use it to stop you from being part of a class action lawsuit in court. You may file a class action lawsuit in court or you may be a member of a class action lawsuit in court even if you do not file it. This provision applies only to class action claims concerning our acts or omissions regarding the making of the Federal Direct Loan or the provision by us of educational services for which the Federal Direct Loan was obtained. We agree that only the court is to decide whether a claim asserted in the lawsuit is a claim regarding the making of the Federal Direct Loan or the provision of educational services for which the loan was obtained.''

   (B) Notice provision. ``We agree not to use any predispute agreement to stop you from being part of a class action lawsuit in court. You may file a class action lawsuit in court or you may be a member of a class action lawsuit even if you do not file it. This provision applies only to class action claims concerning our acts or omissions regarding the making of the Federal Direct Loan or the provision by us of educational services for which the Federal Direct Loan was obtained. We agree that only the court is to decide whether a claim asserted in the lawsuit is a claim regarding the making of the Federal Direct Loan or the provision of educational services for which the loan was obtained.''

   (f) Predispute arbitration agreements. (1)(i) The school will not enter into a predispute agreement to arbitrate a borrower defense claim, or rely in any way on a predispute arbitration agreement with respect to any aspect of a borrower defense claim.

   (ii) A student may enter into a voluntary post-dispute arbitration agreement with a school to arbitrate a borrower defense claim.

   (2) Reliance on a predispute arbitration agreement with a student with respect to any aspect of a borrower defense claim includes, but is not limited to, any of the following:

   (i) Seeking dismissal, deferral, or stay of any aspect of a judicial action filed by the student, including joinder with others in an action;

   (ii) Objecting to or seeking a protective order intended to avoid

   Page 34049

   responding to discovery in a judicial action filed by the student; and

   (iii) Filing a claim in arbitration against a student who has filed a suit on the same claim.

   (3) Required provisions and notices:

   (i) The school must include the following provision in any predispute arbitration agreements with a student recipient of a Direct Loan for attendance at the school, or, with respect to a Parent PLUS Loan, a student for whom the PLUS loan was obtained, that include any agreement regarding arbitration and that are entered into after the effective date of this regulation: ``We agree that neither we nor anyone else will use this agreement to stop you from bringing a lawsuit concerning our acts or omissions regarding the making of the Federal Direct Loan or the provision by us of educational services for which the Federal Direct Loan was obtained. You may file a lawsuit for such a claim or you may be a member of a class action lawsuit for such a claim even if you do not file it. This provision does not apply to lawsuits concerning other claims. We agree that only the court is to decide whether a claim asserted in the lawsuit is a claim regarding the making of the Federal Direct Loan or the provision of educational services for which the loan was obtained.''

   (ii) When a predispute arbitration agreement has been entered into before the effective date of this regulation that did not contain the provision specified in paragraph (f)(3)(i) of this section, the school must either ensure the agreement is amended to contain the provision specified in paragraph (f)(3)(iii)(A) of this section or provide the student to whom the agreement applies with the written notice specified in paragraph (f)(3)(iii)(B) of this section.

   (iii) The school must ensure the agreement described in paragraph (f)(3)(ii) of this section is amended to contain the provision specified in paragraph (f)(3)(iii)(A) of this section or must provide the notice specified in paragraph (f)(3)(iii)(B) of this section to students no later than the exit counseling required under Sec. 685.304(b), or the date on which the school files its initial response to a demand for arbitration or service of a complaint from a student who has not already been sent a notice or amendment.

   (A) Agreement provision. ``We agree that neither we nor anyone else who later becomes a party to this predispute arbitration agreement will use it to stop you from bringing a lawsuit concerning our acts or omissions regarding the making of the Federal Direct Loan or the provision by us of educational services for which the Federal Direct Loan was obtained. You may file a lawsuit for such a claim or you may be a member of a class action lawsuit for such a claim even if you do not file it. This provision does not apply to other claims. We agree that only the court is to decide whether a claim asserted in the lawsuit is a claim regarding the making of the Federal Direct Loan or the provision of educational services for which the loan was obtained.''

   (B) Notice provision. ``We agree not to use any predispute arbitration agreement to stop you from bringing a lawsuit concerning our acts or omissions regarding the making of the Federal Direct Loan or the provision by us of educational services for which the Federal Direct Loan was obtained. You may file a lawsuit regarding such a claim or you may be a member of a class action lawsuit regarding such a claim even if you do not file it. This provision does not apply to any other claims. We agree that only the court is to decide whether a claim asserted in the lawsuit is a claim regarding the making of the Direct Loan or the provision of educational services for which the loan was obtained.''

   (g) Submission of arbitral records. (1) A school must submit a copy of the following records to the Secretary, in the form and manner specified by the Secretary, in connection with any claim filed in arbitration by or against the school concerning a borrower defense claim:

   (i) The initial claim and any counterclaim.

   (ii) The arbitration agreement filed with the arbitrator or arbitration administrator.

   (iii) The judgment or award, if any, issued by the arbitrator or arbitration administrator.

   (iv) If an arbitrator or arbitration administrator refuses to administer or dismisses a claim due to the school's failure to pay required filing or administrative fees, any communication the school receives from the arbitrator or arbitration administrator related to such a refusal.

   (v) Any communication the school receives from an arbitrator or an arbitration administrator related to a determination that a predispute arbitration agreement regarding educational services provided by the school does not comply with the administrator's fairness principles, rules, or similar requirements, if such a determination occurs.

   (2) A school must submit any record required pursuant to paragraph (g)(1) of this section within 60 days of filing by the school of any such record with the arbitrator or arbitration administrator and within 60 days of receipt by the school of any such record filed or sent by someone other than the school, such as the arbitrator, the arbitration administrator, or the student.

   (h) Submission of judicial records. (1) A school must submit a copy of the following records to the Secretary, in the form and manner specified by the Secretary, in connection with any claim concerning a borrower defense claim filed in a lawsuit by the school against the student or by any party, including a government agency, against the school:

   (i) The complaint and any counterclaim.

   (ii) Any dispositive motion filed by a party to the suit; and

   (iii) The ruling on any dispositive motion and the judgment issued by the court.

   (2) A school must submit any record required pursuant to paragraph (h)(1) of this section within 30 days of filing or receipt, as applicable, of the complaint, answer, or dispositive motion, and within 30 days of receipt of any ruling on a dispositive motion or a final judgment.

   (i) Definitions. For the purposes of paragraphs (d) through (h) of this section, the term--

   (1) ``Borrower defense claim'' means a claim that is or could be asserted as a borrower defense as defined in Sec. 685.222(a)(5), including a claim other than one based on Sec. 685.222(c) or (d) that may be asserted under Sec. 685.222(b) if reduced to judgment;

   (2) ``Class action'' means a lawsuit in which one or more parties seek class treatment pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23 or any State process analogous to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23;

   (3) ``Dispositive motion'' means a motion asking for a court order that entirely disposes of one or more claims in favor of the party who files the motion without need for further court proceedings;

   (4) ``Predispute arbitration agreement'' means any agreement, regardless of its form or structure, between a school or a party acting on behalf of a school and a student providing for arbitration of any future dispute between the parties.

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   FR Doc. 2018-15260 Filed 7-18-18; 8:45 am

   BILLING CODE 4000-01-P