Legislation

This panel will address the latest legislative developments in consumer bankruptcy law, including the new DOJ guidance regarding the hardship discharge of student loans.

Join ABI experts as they discuss recent, pending and upcoming legislation that impacts the insolvency and restructuring industry.

To ease the financial fallout from the pandemic, there could be increased congressional interest in consumer bankruptcy reform. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Jerrold Nadler already have proposed a complete overhaul of the consumer bankruptcy system and a new chapter 10 for all individual debtors. Several pending legislative proposals would make it easier to discharge student loans in bankruptcy. Profs. Robert Lawless and Adam Levitin will explain these proposals, the motivating factors behind them, and what else might be coming in the consumer bankruptcy world.

A year into the global pandemic, U.S. businesses and consumers remain affected in unprecedented ways. This panel of public policy and insolvency experts will share their insights and answer questions relating to the most recent federal stabilization programs, including updates to the PPP program, relief for municipalities and other relief provisions. The panelists will also discuss the administration's priorities and additional potential congressional action. Sure to be part of the discussion are student loans, the Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act and the SBRA.

This panel will focus on the changing tides of chapters 7 and 13 due to recent legislation, including the CARES Act, Consolidated Appropriations Act, Bankruptcy Administration Improvement Act of 2020 and other nonbankruptcy legislation/policies that have an impact on bankruptcy filings. The panelists also will take a peek at what is on the horizon for potential new legislation.