In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

[EX Q]: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Municipal Bond Market Support Act of 
2008''.

SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF SMALL ISSUER EXCEPTION TO TAX-EXEMPT INTEREST 
              EXPENSE ALLOCATION RULES FOR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.

    (a) Increase in Limitation.--Subparagraphs (C)(i), (D)(i), and 
(D)(iii)(II) of section 265(b)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
are each amended by striking ``$10,000,000'' and inserting 
``$30,000,000''.
    (b) Repeal of Aggregation Rules Applicable to Small Issuer 
Determination.--Paragraph (3) of section 265(b) of such Code is amended 
by striking subparagraphs (E) and (F).
    (c) Election To Apply Limitation at Borrower Level.--Paragraph (3) 
of section 265(b) of such Code, as amended by subsection (b), is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(E) Election to apply limitation on amount of 
                obligations at borrower level.--
                            ``(i) In general.--An issuer, the proceeds 
                        of the obligations of which are to be used to 
                        make or finance eligible loans, may elect to 
                        apply subparagraphs (C) and (D) by treating 
                        each borrower as the issuer of a separate 
                        issue.
                            ``(ii) Eligible loan.--For purposes of this 
                        subparagraph--
                                    ``(I) In general.--The term 
                                `eligible loan' means one or more loans 
                                to a qualified borrower the proceeds of 
                                which are used by the borrower and the 
                                outstanding balance of which in the 
                                aggregate does not exceed $30,000,000.
                                    ``(II) Qualified borrower.--The 
                                term `qualified borrower' means a 
                                borrower which is an organization 
                                described in section 501(c)(3) and 
                                exempt from taxation under section 
                                501(a) or a State or political 
                                subdivision thereof.
                            ``(iii) Manner of election.--The election 
                        described in clause (i) may be made by an 
                        issuer for any calendar year at any time prior 
                        to its first issuance during such year of 
                        obligations the proceeds of which will be used 
                        to make or finance one or more eligible 
                        loans.''.
    (d) Inflation Adjustment.--Paragraph (3) of section 265(b) of such 
Code, as amended by subsections (b) and (c), is amended by adding at 
the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(F) Inflation adjustment.--In the case of any 
                calendar year after 2009, the $30,000,000 amounts 
                contained in subparagraphs (C)(i), (D)(i), 
                (D)(iii)(II), and (E)(ii)(I) shall each be increased by 
                an amount equal to--
                            ``(i) such dollar amount, multiplied by
                            ``(ii) the cost-of-living adjustment 
                        determined under section 1(f)(3) for such 
                        calendar year, determined by substituting 
                        `calendar year 2008' `for calendar year 1992' 
                        in subparagraph (B) thereof.
                Any increase determined under the preceding sentence 
                shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of 
                $100,000.''.
    (e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to obligations issued after December 31, 2008.

SEC. 3. DE MINIMIS SAFE HARBOR EXCEPTION FOR TAX-EXEMPT INTEREST 
              EXPENSE OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND BROKERS.

    (a) Financial Institutions.--Subsection (b) of section 265 of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph:
            ``(7) De minimis exception.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply 
        to any financial institution if the portion of the taxpayer's 
        holdings of tax-exempt securities is less than 2 percent of the 
        taxpayer's assets.''.
    (b) Brokers.--Subsection (a) of section 265 of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph:
            ``(7) De minimis exception.--Paragraph (2) shall not apply 
        to any broker (as defined in section 6045(c)(1)) if the portion 
        of the taxpayer's holdings of tax-exempt securities is less 
        than 2 percent of the taxpayer's assets.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years beginning after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
[EX A]: Municipal Bond Market Support Act of 2008 - Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions relating to the small issuer exemption from interest expense allocation rules for financial institutions to: (1) increase from $10 to $30 million the annual limit on small issuers of tax-exempt municipal bonds; (2) allow an inflation adjustment to such increased limit amount after 2009; (3) repeal aggregation rules relating to the determination of small issuer eligibility; (4) allow small issuers an election to treat borrowers separately for purposes of issuance limitations; and (5) allow financial institutions and brokers to hold up to 2% of their assets in tax-exempt securities without affecting their interest expense tax deduction.

[EX Q]: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Teacher and Nurse Support Act of 
2007''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) According to the National Center for Education 
        Statistics, over the next 10 years, the United States will need 
        more than 2,000,000 new teachers to replace the teachers who 
        are retiring or leaving the classroom for other careers.
            (2) The Hart-Rudman National Security Report on education 
        recommended that the President direct the Department of 
        Education to work with the States to devise a comprehensive 
        plan to avert a looming shortage of high-quality teachers.
            (3) According to the National Center for Education 
        Statistics, 20 percent of all new teachers leave the teaching 
        profession within 3 years. Providing loan forgiveness or loan 
        cancellation is one step that would help retain high-quality 
        teachers in schools that need teachers.
            (4) The American Hospital Association has reported more 
        than 118,000 unfilled registered nurse positions in hospitals 
        in the United States. Additionally, the National Commission on 
        Nursing Workforce for Long-Term Care released a report in May, 
        2005, stating that there are nearly 100,000 vacant nursing 
        positions in long-term care facilities on any given day, and 
        the nurse turnover rate exceeds 50 percent. The shortage is 
        costing long-term care facilities an estimated $4 billion a 
        year in recruitment and training expenses.
            (5) College loans are more of a burden than ever for 
        students and families. According to a recent United States 
        Public Interest Research Group report, average student loan 
        debt almost doubled from $9,200 in 1992-1993 to $16,928 in 
        1999-2000.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to improve access to, and 
the delivery of, high-quality educational and health services 
throughout the United States by reducing the shortage of qualified 
teachers and nurses.

SEC. 3. LOAN FORGIVENESS.

    (a) Loan Forgiveness.--Section 428J of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078-10) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 428J. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR TEACHERS AND NURSES.

    ``(a) Statement of Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to 
encourage individuals to enter and continue in the teaching and nursing 
professions.
    ``(b) Program Authorized.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program 
        to forgive, in accordance with this section, the student loan 
        debt of any borrower who has one or more loans described under 
        paragraph (2) made on or after October 1, 1998, and who--
                    ``(A) has been employed--
                            ``(i) as a full-time teacher--
                                    ``(I) in a school that qualifies 
                                under section 465(a)(2)(A) for loan 
                                cancellation for Perkins loan 
                                recipients who teach in those schools;
                                    ``(II) if employed as a secondary 
                                school teacher, is teaching a subject 
                                area that is relevant to the borrower's 
                                academic major as certified by the 
                                chief administrative officer of the 
                                public or nonprofit private secondary 
                                school in which the borrower is 
                                employed; and
                                    ``(III) if employed as an 
                                elementary school teacher, has 
                                demonstrated, as certified by the chief 
                                administrative officer of the public or 
                                nonprofit private elementary school in 
                                which the borrower is employed, 
                                knowledge and teaching skills in 
                                reading, writing, mathematics, and 
                                other areas of the elementary school 
                                curriculum; or
                            ``(ii) as a full-time eligible nurse--
                                    ``(I) in a clinical setting; or
                                    ``(II) as a member of the nursing 
                                faculty at an accredited school of 
                                nursing (as those terms are defined in 
                                section 801 of the Public Health 
                                Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296)); and
                    ``(B) is not in default on a loan for which the 
                borrower seeks forgiveness.
            ``(2) Method of loan forgiveness.--To provide the loan 
        forgiveness authorized in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, 
        subject to paragraph (3), carry out a program--
                    ``(A) through the holder of the loan, to assume the 
                obligation to repay a qualified loan amount (as 
                determined under subsection (c)) for a loan made under 
                section 428 or 428H of this part; and
                    ``(B) to cancel a qualified loan amount (as so 
                determined) for a Federal Direct Stafford Loan or a 
                Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan made under 
                part D of this title;
            ``(3) Treatment of consolidation loans.--A loan amount for 
        a loan made under section 428C or section 455(g) may be a 
        qualified loan amount for the purposes of paragraph (2) only to 
        the extent that such loan amount was used to repay a loan made 
        under section 428 or 428H, a Federal Direct Stafford Loan, or a 
        Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan for a borrower who 
        meets the requirements of paragraph (1), as determined in 
        accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
    ``(c) Qualified Loan Amount.--
            ``(1) In general.--
                    ``(A) Aggregate amount.--The Secretary shall, in 
                installments in accordance with subparagraph (B), 
                forgive under this section not more than $17,500 in the 
                aggregate of the student loan obligation of a borrower.
                    ``(B) Annual installments.--The Secretary shall 
                forgive the student loan obligation of a borrower in 
                annual installments after each of 5 years of service 
                described in clause (i) or (ii) of subsection 
                (b)(1)(A)(i) in an amount not to exceed the lesser of 
                the remaining outstanding obligation of the borrower 
                or--
                            ``(i) $2,000 at the completion of the first 
                        year of such service;
                            ``(ii) $2,500 at the completion of the 
                        second year of such service;
                            ``(iii) $3,500 at the completion of the 
                        third year of such service;
                            ``(iv) $4,500 at the completion of the 
                        fourth year of such service; and
                            ``(v) $5,000 at the completion of the fifth 
                        year of such service.
            ``(2) Forbearance on qualified loan amount.--A holder of a 
        loan on which a borrower is seeking forgiveness under this 
        section--
                    ``(A) shall grant forbearance, at the request of 
                the borrower, in annual increments for each of the 
                years of qualifying service if the holder believes, at 
                the time of the borrower's annual request, that the 
                amount expected to be forgiven under this section at 
                the completion of the period of qualifying service will 
                satisfy the anticipated remaining outstanding balance 
                on the loan; and
                    ``(B) may offer other forbearance options to the 
                borrower.
    ``(d) Regulations.--The Secretary is authorized to issue such 
regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this 
section.
    ``(e) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
authorize any refunding of any repayment of a loan.
    ``(f) List of Schools.--If the list of schools in which a teacher 
may perform service pursuant to subsection (b)(1)(A)(i) is not 
available before May 1 of any year, the Secretary may use the list for 
the year preceding the year for which the determination is made to make 
the service determination.
    ``(g) Additional Eligibility Provisions.--
            ``(1) Continued eligibility for teachers.--Any teacher who 
        performs service in a school that--
                    ``(A) meets the requirements of subsection 
                (b)(1)(A)(i)(I) in any year during such service; and
                    ``(B) in a subsequent year fails to meet the 
                requirements of that subsection,
        may continue to teach in the school and shall be eligible for 
        loan forgiveness pursuant to subsection (b).
            ``(2) Prevention of double benefits.--No borrower may, for 
        the same service, receive a benefit under both this subsection 
        and--
                    ``(A) subtitle D of title I of the National and 
                Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12571 et 
                seq.); or
                    ``(B) section 846 of the Public Health Service Act 
                (42 U.S.C. 297n).
    ``(h) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Eligible nurse.--The term `eligible nurse' means a 
        nurse who meets all of the following:
                    ``(A) The nurse graduated from--
                            ``(i) an accredited school of nursing (as 
                        those terms are defined in section 801 of the 
                        Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296));
                            ``(ii) a nursing center; or
                            ``(iii) an academic health center that 
                        provides nurse training.
                    ``(B) The nurse holds a valid and unrestricted 
                license to practice nursing in the State in which the 
                nurse practices in a clinical setting.
                    ``(C) The nurse holds 1 or more of the following:
                            ``(i) A graduate degree in nursing or 
                        equivalent degree.
                            ``(ii) A nursing degree from a collegiate 
                        school of nursing (as defined in section 801 of 
                        the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296)).
                            ``(iii) A nursing degree from an associate 
                        degree school of nursing (as defined in section 
                        801 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
                        296)).
                            ``(iv) A nursing degree from a diploma 
                        school of nursing (as defined in section 801 of 
                        the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296)).
            ``(2) Year.--The term `year', where applied to service as a 
        teacher (or service as a member of the nursing faculty at an 
        accredited school of nursing (as those terms are defined in 
        section 801 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296))), 
        means an academic year as defined by the Secretary.''.
    (b) Repeal of Loan Cancellation Provision.--Section 460 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087j) is repealed.

SEC. 4. PHASE OUT OF CURRENT PROGRAM.

    An individual who began the required period of teaching described 
in section 428J(b)(1) or 460(b)(1)(A) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078-10 and 1087j) as such sections were in effect on 
the day before the date of enactment of this Act, shall--
            (1) be eligible to receive loan forgiveness or loan 
        cancellation in the amount described in, and in accordance with 
        the requirements of, such sections as in effect on the day 
        before the date of enactment of this Act; and
            (2) not be eligible to receive loan forgiveness under 
        section 428J of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as in effect 
        on the date of enactment of this Act.
[EX A]: Teacher and Nurse Support Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to increase to a maximum of $17,500 the aggregate student loan obligation eligible for forgiveness or cancellation under the Federal Family Education Loan or Direct Loan programs for teachers who serve full-time in certain elementary or secondary schools that enroll a high proportion of disadvantaged students.

Includes, under these student loan forgiveness and cancellation programs, nurses who serve in a clinical setting or as a member of the nursing faculty at an accredited school of nursing. Directs the Secretary of Education to repay such loan obligation in annual installments up to specified maximum amounts after each of five years of such service.

[EX Q]: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Expanding Access to Medical Records 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FULL ACCESS TO MEDICARE INFORMATION BY THE AUTHORIZED 
              REPRESENTATIVE OF A DECEASED BENEFICIARY.

    (a) In General.--Title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:

``full access to medicare information by the authorized representative 
                       of a deceased beneficiary

    ``Sec. 1899.  (a) In General.--In the case of the death of an 
individual entitled to, or enrolled for, benefits under part A or 
enrolled for benefits under part B, the Secretary shall--
            ``(1) make available to the authorized representative of 
        the individual all information concerning the individual's 
        benefits under this title, including--
                    ``(A) the coverage and status of such benefits (as 
                of the day before the individual's death); and
                    ``(B) billing, claims, and payment information 
                regarding items and services furnished to the 
                individual under this title (on or before such day); 
                and
            ``(2) provide such authorized representative access to any 
        source of information maintained by the Federal government with 
        respect to such benefits, including online databases, that the 
        individual had access to during his or her lifetime.
    ``(b) Definition of Authorized Representative; Special Rules.--
            ``(1) In general.--In this section, the term `authorized 
        representative' means an executor, administrator, or other 
        individual who has authority to act on the deceased 
        individual's behalf (as determined by the Secretary under 
        paragraph (2)).
            ``(2) Determination of authorized representative.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall establish 
                procedures under which the Secretary determines whether 
                an individual is an authorized representative of the 
                deceased individual. Under such procedures, the 
                individual seeking such determination shall provide 
                evidence (in such form and such manner as specified by 
                the Secretary) of the individual's legal authority to 
                act on behalf of the deceased individual.
                    ``(B) Timeline for determination.--The Secretary 
                shall make a determination under subparagraph (A) not 
                later than 30 days after receipt of the evidence 
                described in such subparagraph.
            ``(3) Notification and access to information.--After making 
        a determination under paragraph (2) with respect to an 
        individual, the Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) notify the individual of the determination 
                not later than 7 days after the date on which the 
                determination is made; and
                    ``(B) in the case where such individual is so 
                determined to be the authorized representative of the 
                deceased individual, as soon as practicable--
                            ``(i) make available to the authorized 
                        representative the information described in 
                        paragraph (1) of subsection (a); and
                            ``(ii) provide the authorized 
                        representative access to the sources described 
                        in paragraph (2) of such subsection.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section shall take 
effect on the date that is 60 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act.

SEC. 3. FULL ACCESS TO MEDICAID INFORMATION BY THE AUTHORIZED 
              REPRESENTATIVE OF A DECEASED BENEFICIARY.

    (a) In General.--Title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1396 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:

``full access to medicaid information by the authorized representative 
                       of a deceased beneficiary

    ``Sec. 1943.  (a) In General.--In the case of the death of an 
individual enrolled under the State plan for medical assistance or 
under a waiver of such plan, the State Medicaid agency shall--
            ``(1) make available to the authorized representative of 
        the individual all information concerning the individual's 
        benefits under this title, including--
                    ``(A) the coverage and status of such benefits (as 
                of the day before the individual's death); and
                    ``(B) billing, claims, and payment information 
                regarding items and services furnished to the 
                individual under this title (on or before such day); 
                and
            ``(2) provide such authorized representative access to any 
        source of information maintained by the State with respect to 
        such benefits, including online databases, that the individual 
        had access to during his or her lifetime.
    ``(b) Definition of Authorized Representative; Special Rules.--
            ``(1) In this section, the term `authorized representative' 
        means an executor, administrator, or other individual who has 
        authority to act on the deceased individual's behalf (as 
        determined by the State Medicaid agency under paragraph (2)).
            ``(2) Determination of authorized representative.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The State Medicaid agency shall 
                establish procedures under which such agency determines 
                whether an individual qualifies as an authorized 
                representative of the deceased individual. Under such 
                procedures, the individual seeking such a determination 
                shall provide evidence (in such form and such manner as 
                specified by the State Medicaid Agency) of the 
                individual's legal authority to act on behalf of the 
                deceased individual.
                    ``(B) Timeline for determination.--The State 
                Medicaid agency shall make a determination under 
                subparagraph (A) not later than 30 days after receipt 
                of the evidence described in such subparagraph.
            ``(3) Notification and access to information.--After making 
        a determination under paragraph (2) with respect to an 
        individual, the State Medicaid Agency shall--
                    ``(A) notify the individual of the determination 
                not later than 7 days after the date on which the 
                determination is made; and
                    ``(B) in the case where such individual is so 
                determined to be the authorized representative of the 
                deceased individual, as soon as practicable--
                            ``(i) make available to the authorized 
                        representative the information described in 
                        paragraph (1) of subsection (a); and
                            ``(ii) provide the authorized 
                        representative access to the sources described 
                        in paragraph (2) of such subsection.
    ``(c) Definition of State Medicaid Agency.--The term `State 
Medicaid agency' means the State agency responsible for administering 
the State plan established under this title or any waiver of such 
plan.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        amendment made by this section shall take effect on the date 
        that is 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
            (2) Extension of effective date for state law amendment.--
        In the case of a State plan under this title which the 
        Secretary of Health and Human Services determines requires 
        State legislation in order for the plan to meet the additional 
        requirements imposed by the amendment made by subsection (a), 
        the State plan shall not be regarded as failing to comply with 
        the requirements of such title solely on the basis of its 
        failure to meet these additional requirements before the first 
        day of the first calendar quarter beginning after the close of 
        the first regular session of the State legislature that begins 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act. For purposes of 
        the previous sentence, in the case of a State that has a 2-year 
        legislative session, each year of the session is considered to 
        be a separate regular session of the State legislature.
[EX A]:
Expanding Access to Medical Records Act - Amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) grant the authorized representative of a deceased beneficiary full access to information with respect to the deceased beneficiary's benefits under the Medicare and Medicaid programs.