Thirty-seven district attorneys, public defender organizations, and unions signed onto a letter calling on Governor Kathy Hochul to lead the fight to protect student borrowers and ensure the inclusion of funding in the proposed Executive Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget for legislation that would bolster the District Attorney and Indigent Legal Services Attorney Loan Forgiveness (DALF) program.

In the letter, coalition members urged Governor Hochul to allocate $4 million in the proposed Executive FY26 Budget to fund the modest expansion of this crucial loan assistance program for public defenders, public interest attorneys and prosecutors across New York.

“Vulnerable New Yorkers will rely on legal services organizations to protect their rights more than ever in the days to come. Our union members need relief from rising student loan payments so they can stay in their jobs, representing clients in need,” said Lisa Ohta, President of UAW Local 2325, Association of Legal Aid Attorneys. “New York has the opportunity to lead the way in supporting workers in this essential industry, ensuring our courts run and New Yorkers have access to justice.”

“The need for dedicated and experienced public interest attorneys who can provide essential legal services for hundreds of thousands of low-income New Yorkers is critical, now more than ever,” added Twyla Carter, Attorney-in-Chief and Chief Executive Officer at The Legal Aid Society.

“Cripplingly high student loan payments, coupled with the ever-increasing cost of living in New York City, continue to pose a significant threat to the ability of these attorneys to remain in the public sector,” she continued. “The inclusion of additional funding for student loan forgiveness in the FY26 Executive Budget will provide much-needed relief for attorneys and allow them to continue their zealous advocacy on behalf of the individuals and communities who need it most.”