Latest news with #BillClark
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Veteran former Edmonton police detective charged with allegedly leaking confidential info to media
A year after he retired amid an internal investigation, a veteran Edmonton police detective has been charged criminally for allegedly leaking information to the press. The Edmonton Police Service on Tuesday announced charges against former Staff Sgt. Bill Clark, claiming he shared 'unauthorized and confidential investigative information with news media.' Clark, a 44-year member of the force until his retirement last year, was an outspoken homicide detective known for his frankness. He frequently appeared on the news to discuss policing and homicide investigations, occasionally courting controversy. EPS offered few details about what information Clark is alleged to have released, but said the investigation was carried out by its internal professional standards branch with supervision from the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), the province's police watchdog. 'It was subsequently reviewed by the Alberta Crown Prosecution Services in Calgary to determine if criminal charges were warranted,' EPS said in a news release. 'Prosecutors recommended the former officer be charged with one count of breach of trust.' 'As the matter is currently before the courts, EPS is not able to provide further comment or information about this investigation.' Police confirmed last spring that Clark had been suspended without pay pending an unspecified investigation — a rare disciplinary step which must be confirmed by the Edmonton Police Commission. Clark joined the police force in 1979 and frequently talked about the satisfaction he got from solving homicides. His investigation of Mark Twitchell — the aspiring Edmonton filmmaker convicted of first-degree murder in a grisly, Dexter-inspired killing — led to appearances on U.S. TV networks. He also attracted controversy for his comments about the willingness of some in Edmonton's Somali community to speak to police amid a string of killings, as well as for a 2018 lecture at the University of Alberta law school, which attracted a complaint for his comments about criminal suspects and defence lawyers. He was ultimately docked 10 hours pay. jwakefield@ @ Veteran Edmonton police officer retires after unpaid suspension; investigation underway Assault trial begins for Edmonton police officer caught on video hitting man with baton You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun
CTV News
6 hours ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Former Edmonton police officer charged with breach of trust
Staff Sgt. Bill Clark speaks to the media in Edmonton on Saturday, March 1, 2014. A former Edmonton Police Service (EPS) officer is facing charges for unlawfully sharing confidential and investigative information to media outlets. Staff Sergeant William (Bill) Clark was charged with breach of trust on Tuesday, EPS said in a news release. The investigation has oversight from the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) and was reviewed by the Alberta Crown Prosecution Services in Calgary to determine if charges were warranted, EPS said. With the case before the courts, EPS says it can't provide additional information during the investigation. Clark was a member of EPS for 44 years and retired in May 2024.
Forbes
01-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Republicans Will Cut Off Student Loan Forgiveness For Medical Residents Under New Plan
UNITED STATES - FEBRUARY 5: Chairman Tim Walberg, R-Mich., attends the House Education and Workforce ... More Committee hearing on Wednesday, February 5, 2025. The committee passed a significant higher ed reform bill this week that would cut off student loan forgiveness for medical and dental residents (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) House Republicans this week unveiled sweeping legislation to remake the federal student loan system. Nearly every element of the federal student aid system, from grants to aid disbursement to repayment plans and loan forgiveness programs, would be impacted if the plan is enacted. And buried deep in the bill is a major change that would cut off a popular federal student loan forgiveness program for medical residents and interns. 'This bill set forth by Committee Republicans not only would save taxpayers over $330 billion but also bring much-needed reform in three key areas: simplified loan repayment, streamlined student loan options, and accountability for students and taxpayers,' said Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) in a speech on the House floor on Tuesday. 'Moreover, it simplifies and improves the system going forward by streamlining repayment options and providing targeted assistance to struggling borrowers who need it rather than blanket bailouts for those who don't." While not expressly called out in Chairman Walberg's speeceh, the bill explicitly cuts off medical and dental residents from key student loan forgiveness benefits, suggesting that the legislation's authors believe these individuals don't need the relief. The proposal is intended to become part of a massive reconciliation 'mega-bill' that Republican lawmakers hope to enact this summer. The reconciliation process, which allows legislation to pass with simple, party-line majorities in Congress without crashing into a Senate filibuster, would facilitate the GOP's expansion of expiring tax cuts and slash government spending to cover the associated costs. Public Service Loan Forgiveness allows borrowers to qualify for a discharge of their federal student loans after making 10 years of qualifying payments. Under current law, a qualifying payment is one made on a Direct federal student loan under either a 10-year Standard plan or one of several income-driven repayment options, while the borrower is employed full-time by an eligible public service employer. This includes 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and government or public entities. Many nonprofit and public hospitals and community health centers are PSLF-eligible employers. The statute governing PSLF, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2007, does not distinguish between different types of public service work, as long as the entity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or public organization and the borrower is meeting all of the program's eligibility criteria. That means someone who is employed at, for instance, a nonprofit hospital, could qualify for PSLF regardless of whether they are a medical technician, a nurse, a doctor, or an administrative support staff member. While doctors and nurses may earn significantly more income than other employees at the same organization, they likely would be earning comparatively much less than they would in a private practice setting. These borrowers also likely carry significantly higher student loan balances due to their education, and would have much higher monthly payments under income-driven repayment plans as a result. But for the first time in the PSLF program's history, the House Republican bill – if enacted – would target a specific group of public service employees and cut them off from student loan forgiveness under the program. 'The term 'public service job' does not include time served in a medical or dental internship or residency program (as such program is described in section 428(c)(3)(A)(i)(I)) by an individual who, as of June 30, 2025, has not borrowed a Federal Direct PLUS Loan or a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan for a program of study that awards a graduate credential upon completion of such program," reads the legislative text under the heading, 'Exclusion.' This essentially would mean that if the bill becomes law, doctors and dentists would receive no PSLF credit during their residencies and internships. Typically, medical and dental residents work long hours (often at nonprofit or public hospitals) for very low pay for several years at the beginning of their careers, before moving into more permanent roles. Many medical residents repay their student loans under income-driven repayment plans during that time, given their low income, and interest accrual often means significant balance increases by the time the borrower completes their residency. Residency periods historically have counted toward student loan forgiveness under PSLF, as long as the borrower is meeting all of the program's eligibility rules. The good news for PSLF borrowers is that the House Republican draft reconciliation bill would not make other significant changes to the program, such as by capping loan forgiveness or cutting off borrowers at certain income levels. Some advocates had been concerned that additional restrictions on student loan forgiveness under the program would be included in the GOP bill. But that's not the end of the story. This week, the Department of Education held its first public hearing as part of negotiated rulemaking, a lengthy process that allows the department to update, change, or repeal regulations governing federal student loan programs. And PSLF is explicitly a topic for negotiated rulemaking this year. The department is considering enacting new rules to implement President Donald Trump's executive order in March that would cut off student loan forgiveness eligibility under PSLF for organizations that engage in certain 'illegal' activities. Advocacy groups have warned this is not allowable under the PSLF statute passed by Congress, and that the definition of 'illegal' in the President's order is so vague and broad that it could wind up sweeping up untold numbers of nonprofit organizations and government entities whose mission or actions the Trump administration simply disagrees with. 'This month, the Department of Education began a process called negotiated rulemaking or 'neg reg' that will decide the future of student loan programs including Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF),' said the Student Debt Crisis Center in an email this week. 'The current Trump Administration is seeking to end PSLF eligibility for public service workers working at certain non-profits or serving certain communities.' Meanwhile, the Trump administration is taking additional steps that could jeopardize student loan forgiveness under PSLF. Earlier this month, the administration began targeting the nonprofit status of Harvard University, which could be a prelude to a broader effort to eliminate the tax-exempt status for other nonprofit organizations that the administration has clashed with. So far, that has not yet happened, but advocates remain concerned. In the meantime, Republican lawmakers are considering a separate proposal that would remove the tax-exempt status from nonprofit hospitals, which could make additional healthcare workers ineligible for PSLF.
Newsweek
30-04-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
How Student Loans, Grants Could Change Under Republican Proposal
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The House Education and the Workforce Committee advanced a new proposal this week that, if enacted, could drastically reshape how Americans pay for college, with reforms to federal student loans and financial aid programs. Why It Matters More than 40 million Americans hold federal student loan debt, per Education Data Initiative. For some, repayment of those loans hinges on income-based plans or the promise of eventual loan forgiveness. The Republican proposal could modify those existing provisions. In a press release, Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, a Republican, said: "For decades Congress has responded to the student loan crisis by throwing more and more taxpayer dollars at the problem—never addressing the root causes of skyrocketing college costs." Republican Representative Tim Walberg chairs the House Education Committee markup for the markup of the fiscal 2025 budget resolution on April 29, 2025. Republican Representative Tim Walberg chairs the House Education Committee markup for the markup of the fiscal 2025 budget resolution on April 29, 2025. Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via AP Images What To Know The Committee's Student Success and Taxpayer Savings Plan aims to reform higher education and those who back it say it would save over $330 billion to help advance President Donald Trump's agenda, according to a press release. The bill was marked up on Tuesday as part of the fiscal 2025 budget resolution. The legislation will now head to the full Budget Committee and if advanced would then by advance to the full House Floor. If passed, the changes would reduce options for repayment plans, tighten access to income-driven repayment plans, revise eligibility rules for Pell Grants and more. Changes to Pell Grant Requirements One of the proposed changes targets Pell Grant eligibilities. Pell Grants are the largest source of federal grant aid supporting college students, according to Congress. The bill would aim to address a shortfall in funding for those grants. According to a version of the bill dated April 28, it would prevent eligibility for students that are enrolled less than half-time. For a student to be grant-eligible, they must have full-time enrollment of 15 credit hours. A fact sheet from the Committee indicates that the bill will close "loopholes that allowed wealthy families with foreign income or large amounts of assets to still receive Pell Grants." The bill also references "workforce Pell Grants", or short-term workforce training programs, that could benefit students enrolled in certain programs. The Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act, which aims to expand student eligibility for Pell Grants, was first introduced in December 2023. Student Loan Changes The bill proposes changes to how students borrow and repay federal loans. The plan proposes borrowing caps for federal loans. Under the proposal, undergraduate students would face a borrowing cap of $50,000 in federal student loans in July 2026, while graduate students couldn't take out more than $100,000, according to reporting by CNBC. This would mark a departure from current policy, where loan limits vary based on factors like dependency status and year in school. The proposal would also kill the Biden administration's Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan, an income-driven repayment program aimed at helping low-income borrowers, according to reporting by USA Today. The SAVE plan is currently paused. Fewer Repayment Options One proposal in the bill would condense all existing repayment plans into just two. One is a standard repayment plan with a fixed monthly payment. The other is the Repayment Assistance Plan, an income-based repayment program which would begin July 1, 2026. This IDR plan would replace income-driven plans for future borrowers and change how monthly payments are calculated, according to reporting by Forbes. College Accountability Measures The plan introduces performance-based accountability measures for institutions that participate in federal student aid programs. The bill includes measures to hold colleges financially accountable if students take out debt they cannot afford. Further, according to a fact sheet, the bill requires colleges to pay portion of their students' unpaid loans based on how much of a return on investment the degree provided. Institutions that continue to weigh their students with debt could face penalties, including risk to access of federal aid. "Colleges have ridden this gravy train of taxpayer dollars without any accountability for the quality of the education they provide or whether students can find jobs when they graduate," Walberg said. "This plan brings accountability and holds schools financially responsible for loading students up with debt." What Happens Next The proposal now advances to the full House Budget Committee. If it advances it would then go to the full House for a vote. Any impact on student loans or grants will depend on whether the legislation continues to advance in the months ahead.
Forbes
30-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
What's In House Republicans' Student Loan Overhaul
UNITED STATES - APRIL 29: Chairman Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich. gavels the House Educaiton Committee to ... More order for the markup of the Fiscal 2025 Budget Resolution on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) House Republicans have introduced a comprehensive student loan overhaul as part of the broader budget reconciliation process. Known as the 'Student Success and Taxpayer Savings Plan,' the package of reforms aims to save hundreds of billions of dollars through new student loan limits, changes to the repayment system, and policies to hold colleges accountable for their outcomes. If enacted, the proposals would also prevent negative amortization and discourage colleges from loading students up with excessive debt. Because Republicans will attach these reforms to a budget reconciliation bill that also advances other Republican priorities like extending the 2017 tax cuts, the package has a good chance of passing the House of Representatives. But the House still needs to work out a compromise with the Senate, where lawmakers have proposed their own set of student loan reforms that differ on some points. However, the policies in the House package stand a better chance of becoming law than any major higher education reform proposal we've seen in a long time. The student loan changes fall into three categories: loan limits, repayment plan changes, and accountability for colleges. Let's look at each in turn. Loan limits The caps on graduate and parent borrowing are long overdue. Study after study has shown that colleges exploit these unlimited loans to hike tuition. Universities have used graduate loans as a cash cow to finance expensive master's degree programs of dubious value, while many schools have foisted tens of thousands of dollars in parent loans on low-income families. The new aggregate loan limits will help rein in these predatory practices, though they remain rather high. The proposal also gives dependent undergraduate students more room to borrow. Higher undergraduate loan limits may increase aggregate borrowing, and could affect tuition prices, though the proposed accountability policies should mitigate this (more on that below). While lower loan limits might have been preferable, the proposed maximums are a good start. Changes to repayment plans The new repayment plan is earthshaking. For borrowers who make on-time payments, RAP ends the phenomenon of rising balances because payments are insufficient to cover interest. Such negative amortization has been the Achilles heel of current income-driven repayment plans, wherein three-quarters of borrowers see their balances rise over time, according to the Congressional Budget Office. RAP guarantees that borrowers will pay down principal—by at least $50 per month if they keep up with payments—and most borrowers will retire their loans faster than they would under current plans. We shouldn't underrate the psychological benefits of a fast payoff. Borrowers who see their balances consistently drop, month after month, will be more willing to remain engaged with their loans. The simplification of repayment options is also welcome, as is the move to block the Education Department from creating new plans. Borrowers ought to have certainty going forward. The government should lay out repayment options and stick with them. Moreover, taxpayers will save money in the long run if the executive branch can't create generous new repayment plans to win favor with borrowers. Accountability for colleges While RAP protects students whose earnings aren't sufficient to pay down their debts, the House proposal also rightly asks colleges to share some of the financial burden. Such 'risk-sharing' will help offset some of the costs of RAP. More consequentially, it will discourage schools from loading students up with debt they can't afford. The higher the debt, the higher the interest, and the likelier it is that the student will require an interest waiver that the college must help pay for. This is the keystone of the proposal in my view. Changes to loan origination and repayment will have limited impact if colleges themselves don't have incentives to hold debt to reasonable levels. Risk-sharing payments are unlikely to be ruinous for most colleges—the amounts we're talking about are relatively low—but they're nonetheless direct financial encouragement for colleges to make necessary changes. There's no excuse not to reduce debt: the bill gives colleges the power to set lower loan limits if they so choose. The PROMISE Grant is also welcome as a carrot to accompany the risk-sharing stick. My analysis of a similar proposal from last year shows that community colleges with a technical or vocational focus are most likely to benefit. The new grants could be an extra inducement for these schools to offer new programs in high-demand fields, as well as give schools the financial capacity to expand. A new way forward for student loans The House proposal is a three-front attack on the student loan monster. Loan limits aim to ensure debt levels are reasonable. The new repayment plan will prevent rising balances. Accountability for colleges will ensure the debts they compel students to take on are justified based on outcomes. If passed, the result of this policy mix will be a saner and more sustainable student loan system.
