[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 53 (Tuesday, March 19, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9964-9966]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-04887]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

34 CFR Parts 668, 674, 682, and 685

[Docket ID ED-2015-OPE-0103]
RIN 1840-AD19


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

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Final rule; correction; announcement of effective date.

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SUMMARY: Consistent with the decisions of the U.S. District Court for 
the District of Columbia, this document memorializes that selected 
provisions of these final regulations took effect. Due to more 
recently-effective amendments, the Department must also correct 
affected amendatory instructions to ensure their incorporation into the 
CFR.

DATES: As of October 16, 2018, the corrections to the amendatory 
instructions and the amendments to Sec.  668.14(b)(30), (31), and (32); 
Sec.  668.41(h) and (i); Sec.  668.71(c); Sec.  668.91(a)(3); Sec.  
668.94(h), (i) and (j); Sec.  668.171; Sec.  668.175(c), (d), (f), and 
(h); part 668, subpart L, appendix C; Sec.  674.33(g)(3) and (8); Sec.  
682.202(b)(1); Sec.  682.211(i)(7); Sec.  682.402(d)(3), 
(d)(6)(ii)(B)(1) and (2), (d)(6)(ii)(F) introductory text, 
(d)(6)(ii)(F)(5), (d)(6)(ii)(G) through (K), (d)(7)(ii) and (iii), 
(d)(8), and (e)(6)(iii); Sec.  682.405(b)(4)(ii); Sec.  682.410(b)(4) 
and (b)(6)(viii); Sec.  685.200(f)(3)(v) and (f)(4)(iii); Sec.  
685.205(b)(6); Sec.  685.206(c); Sec.  685.212(k); Sec.  685.214(c)(2) 
and (f)(4) through (7); Sec.  685.215(a)(1), (c)(1) through (8), and 
(d); Sec.  685.222; part 685, subpart B, appendix A; Sec.  
685.300(b)(11) and (12) and (d) through (i); and Sec.  685.308(a), 
published November 1, 2016, at 81 FR 75926, and delayed June 16, 2017 
(82 FR 27621), October 24, 2017 (82 FR 49114), and February 14, 2018 
(83 FR 6458), are effective.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Hoblitzell, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Mail stop 6W247, Washington, DC 20202. 
Telephone: (202) 453-7583. Email at: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The original ``effective date'' for these 
provisions was July 1, 2017. 81 FR 75926. To the extent the provisions 
explicitly use this date as a benchmark (e.g., Sec.  685.206(c)(``For 
loans first disbursed prior to July 1, 2017, the borrower may assert a 
borrower defense under this paragraph'')), the Department will use July 
1, 2017 as the relevant date. Because the provisions referenced above 
did not actually take effect on July 1, 2017, the Department is, 
concurrently with this announcement, releasing an Electronic 
Announcement available at https://ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/030719GuidConcernProv2016BorrowerDefensetoRypmtRegs.html to clarify the 
responsibilities of institutions with respect to the Financial 
Responsibility, Class Action Bans, and Predispute Arbitration 
Agreements Provisions, and Repayment Rate Disclosure sections of the 
final regulations, which are now effective.
    Background: On May 24, 2017, the California Association of Private 
Postsecondary Schools (CAPPS) filed a Complaint and Prayer for 
Declaratory and Injunctive Relief in the United States District Court 
for the District of Columbia (Court) challenging the final regulations 
in their entirety, and in particular those provisions of the 
regulations pertaining to the standard and process for the Department 
to adjudicate borrower defense claims, requirements pertaining to 
financial

[[Page 9965]]

responsibility standards, provisions requiring proprietary institutions 
to provide warnings about their students' loan repayment rates, and 
prohibitions against institutions including arbitration or class action 
waivers in their agreements with students. Complaint and Prayer for 
Declaratory and Injunctive Relief, California Association of Private 
Postsecondary Schools v. DeVos, No. 17-cv-00999 (D.D.C. May 24, 2017). 
The provisions in the challenged regulations were scheduled to become 
effective on July 1, 2017.
    In light of the pending litigation, on June 16, 2017, the 
Department published a notification of the partial delay of effective 
dates (82 FR 27621) under section 705 of the APA (5 U.S.C. 705), to 
delay the effectiveness of certain provisions of the final regulations 
until the legal challenge is resolved (705 Notice). Subsequently, on 
October 24, 2017, the Department issued an interim final rule (IFR) 
delaying the effective date of those provisions of the final 
regulations to July 1, 2018 (82 FR 49114), and a notice of proposed 
rulemaking to further delay the effective date to July 1, 2019 (82 FR 
49155). On February 14, 2018, the Department published a final rule 
delaying the regulations' effective date until July 1, 2019 (83 FR 
6458) (Final Delay Rule).
    Following issuance of the 705 Notice, plaintiffs Meaghan Bauer and 
Stephano Del Rose filed a complaint challenging the validity of the 705 
Notice. Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief, Bauer v. 
DeVos, No.17-cv-1330 (D.D.C. Jul. 6, 2017). The attorneys general of 18 
states and the District of Columbia also filed a complaint challenging 
the validity of the 705 Notice. Complaint for Declaratory and 
Injunctive Relief, Massachusetts v. U.S. Dep't of Educ., No. 17-cv-
01331 (D.D.C. Jul. 6, 2017). Plaintiffs in both cases subsequently 
amended their complaints to include the IFR and the Final Delay Rule, 
and these cases were consolidated by the Court.
    On September 12, 2018, the Court issued its Memorandum Opinion and 
Order in the consolidated matter, finding the challenge to the IFR was 
moot, declaring the 705 Notice and the Final Delay Rule invalid, and 
convening a status conference to consider appropriate remedies. Bauer 
v. DeVos, No. 17-cv-1330 (D.D.C. Sept. 12, 2018). Subsequently, on 
September 17, 2018, the Court issued its Memorandum Opinion and Order 
immediately vacating the Final Delay Rule and vacating the 705 Notice 
but suspending its vacatur of the 705 Notice until 5:00 p.m. on October 
12, 2018, to allow for renewal and briefing of CAPPS' motion for a 
preliminary injunction in the CAPPS v. DeVos case and to give the 
Department an opportunity to remedy the deficiencies with the 705 
Notice. Bauer, No. 17-cv-1330 (D.D.C. Sept. 17, 2018). The Department 
decided not to issue a revised 705 notice. On October 12, 2018, the 
Court extended the suspension of its vacatur until noon on October 16, 
2018. Minute Order (Oct. 12, 2018), Bauer, No. 17-cv-1330. On October 
16, 2018, the Court denied CAPPS' motion for a preliminary injunction, 
ending the suspension of the vacatur. Memorandum Opinion and Order, 
CAPPS, No. 17-cv-0999 (Oct. 16, 2018).
    Regulations: With this action by the Court, the final regulations 
published November 1, 2016, at 81 FR 75926, listed below took effect. 
Information clarifying the responsibilities of institutions with 
respect to the now-effective provisions is available in the Electronic 
Announcement, https://ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/030719GuidConcernProv2016BorrowerDefensetoRypmtRegs.html, the 
Department is releasing concurrently with this announcement.
     Section 668.14(b)(30), (31), and (32) Program 
participation agreement.
     Section 668.41(h) and (i) Reporting and disclosure of 
information.
     Section 668.71(c) Scope and special definitions.
     Section 668.90(a)(3) Initial and final decisions.
     Section 668.93(h), (i), and (j) Limitation.
     Section 668.171 General.
     Section 668.175(c), (d), (f), and (h) Alternative 
standards and requirements.
     Part 668, subpart L, appendix C.
     Section 674.33(g)(3) and (8) Repayment.
     Section 682.202(b)(1) Permissible charges by lenders to 
borrowers.
     Section 682.211(i)(7) Forbearance.
     Section 682.402(d)(3), (d)(6)(ii)(B)(1) and (2), 
(d)(6)(ii)(F) introductory text, (d)(6)(ii)(F)(5), (d)(6)(ii)(G) 
through (K), (d)(7)(ii) and (iii), (d)(8), and (e)(6)(iii) Death, 
disability, closed school, false certification, unpaid refunds, and 
bankruptcy payments.
     Section 682.405(b)(4)(ii) Loan rehabilitation agreement.
     Section 682.410(b)(4) and (b)(6)(viii) Fiscal, 
administrative, and enforcement requirements.
     Section 685.200(f)(3)(v) and (f)(4)(iii) Borrower 
eligibility.
     Section 685.205(b)(6) Forbearance.
     Section 685.206(c) Borrower responsibilities and defenses.
     Section 685.212(k) Discharge of a loan obligation.
     Section 685.214(c)(2) and (f)(4) through (7) Closed school 
discharge.
     Section 685.215(a)(1), (c)(1) through (8), and (d) 
Discharge for false certification of student eligibility or 
unauthorized payment.
     Section 685.222 Borrower defenses.
     Part 685, subpart B, appendix A Examples of borrower 
relief.
     Section 685.300(b)(11), (b)(12), and (d) through (i) 
Agreements between an eligible school and the Secretary for 
participation in the Direct Loan Program.
     Section 685.308(a) Remedial actions.
    Note: Section 668.90 has been redesignated as Sec.  668.91 and 
Sec.  668.93 has been redesignated as Sec.  668.94 pursuant to the 
borrower defense procedural rule, published January 19, 2017 at 82 FR 
6253 (the borrower defense procedural rule), so the Department must 
correct the amendatory instructions from the November 2016 rule to 
reflect the newly redesignated section numbers.
    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities may 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.govinfo.gov. 
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.Federal 
Register.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search feature at this 
site, you can limit your search to documents published by the 
Department.

Corrections

    In FR Doc. 2016-25448, appearing on page 75926 in the Federal 
Register of Tuesday, November 1, 2016, the following corrections are 
made:


Sec.  668.90   [Corrected]

0
1. On page 76072, in the first column, in amendatory instruction 7, 
``Section 668.90'' is corrected to read ``Section

[[Page 9966]]

688.91'' and ``Sec.  668.90'' is corrected to read ``Sec.  668.91''.


Sec.  668.93   [Corrected]

0
2. On page 76072, in the third column, in amendatory instruction 8, 
``Section 668.93'' is corrected to read ``Section 688.94'' and ``Sec.  
668.93'' is corrected to read ``Sec.  668.94''.

    Dated: March 12, 2019.
Betsy DeVos,
Secretary of Education.
[FR Doc. 2019-04887 Filed 3-18-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P