As a follow up to the training seminar held on June 5, 1998, there are two issues that need further clarification:

Sweatshirt Winners
 UHEAA would like to announce that Ruth Martin of Stevens-Henager College of Business and Ferrin Orton of Brigham Young University are co-winners of the AGuess the Score@ contest.  Both Ruth and Ferrin correctly predicted that the Bulls would beat the Jazz in the Friday night game.  Their predictions of the score were so close that it was necessary to declare co-winners.  Their prize, a USLP sweatshirt, has been delivered to them.

Pending Legislation to Repeal Reporting Requirements
 On a more serious note, the training seminar covered the school reporting requirements of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 signed into law in August, 1997.  As mentioned at the training session, another bill, the Higher Education Reporting Relief Act (HR 3127), was filed by Congressman Donald Manzullo of Illinois in January of 1998, and is still pending.

 The Higher Education Reporting Relief Act would free schools from complying with the costly reporting requirements contained in the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997.  These reporting requirements compel schools to begin issuing annual reports to the student and the Internal Revenue Service detailing the student’s tuition payments.  Preliminary analysis shows that reporting requirements will cost schools millions of dollars to implement and maintain. The bill is bipartisan with 95 co-sponsors split evenly between Democrats and Republicans.

 The main opposition to the Higher Education Reporting Relief Act appears to be based on the assumption that without school reporting, taxpayers are likely to fraudulently claim tax credits they are not legally entitled to receive. Proponents of the bill contend that taxpayers should simply claim the new education tax credits on their income tax returns as they do with other tax credits and deductions. If the IRS questions the tax credit claimed, then the IRS would audit the taxpayer as it does now for other types of credits and deductions.

 According to Congressman Manzullo’s office, the bill has been referred to the Ways and Means Committee and appears to be stymied.  The Congressman has made this bill his top legislative priority and has a meeting scheduled with the Speaker of the House for mid-June in an attempt to expedite this matter.   The bill continues to be sustained by a substantial Agrass roots@ effort on the part of schools who have contacted their respective congressional leaders expressing support for the bill.   Congressman Cook is a co-sponsor of the legislation, while Congressmen Cannon and Hansen have yet to endorse it.  Both senators from Utah back this legislation.  If you would like to express support for this legislation, the contact information for our Utah Representatives and Senators is listed below.

 Remember, the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 is the current law and schools are required to comply with all the reporting requirements contained in that Act.  If there are any changes in the reporting requirements as a result of the Higher Education Reporting Relief Act or any other Act of Congress, they will be announced in a future UHEAA Bulletin.
 

Utah Representatives and Senators:

Christopher B. Cannon
Provo Office:   (801) 379-2500
Fax:    (801) 379-2509
Washington Office:  (202) 225-7751
Fax:    (202) 225-5629

Merrill Cook
Salt Lake City Office:  (801) 524-4394
Fax:    (801) 524-5994
Washington Office:  (202) 225-3011
Fax:    (202) 225-5638

James V. Hansen
Ogden Office:   (801) 393-8362
Fax:    (801) 621-7846
Washington Office:  (202) 225-0453
Fax:    (202) 225-5857

Robert F. Bennett
Salt Lake City Office:  (801) 524-5933
Washington Office:  (202) 224-5444

Orrin G. Hatch
Salt Lake City Office:  (801) 524-4380
Washington Office:  (202) 224-4402