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

[Q]: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Student Loan Refinancing 
Act''.

SEC. 2. STUDENT LOAN CONSOLIDATION.

    Section 459B of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087i-
2) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(3), by striking ``section'' and 
        inserting ``subsection'';
            (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``this section'' and 
        inserting ``subsection (a)'' each place the term appears; and
            (3) by inserting at the end the following:
    ``(c) Temporary Loan Consolidation Authority for Certain Loans Made 
After July 1, 2006.--
            ``(1) Loan consolidation authority.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A borrower who has 1 or more 
                loans in a category described in subparagraph (B) may 
                consolidate all of the loans of the borrower that are 
                described in subparagraph (B) into a Federal Direct 
                Consolidation Loan during the period described in 
                subparagraph (C).
                    ``(B) Categories of loans that may be 
                consolidated.--The categories of loans that may be 
                consolidated under subparagraph (A) are loans made on 
                or after July 1, 2006, that are--
                            ``(i) loans made under this part;
                            ``(ii) loans purchased by the Secretary 
                        pursuant to section 459A; and
                            ``(iii) loans made under part B that are 
                        held by an eligible lender, as such term is 
                        defined in section 435(d).
                    ``(C) Time period in which loans may be 
                consolidated.--
                            ``(i) Federal direct loans.--In the case of 
                        a borrower who has 1 or more loans described 
                        under subparagraph (B)(i), the Secretary 
                        shall--
                                    ``(I) consolidate the loans 
                                described under subparagraph (B)(i) not 
                                later than 90 days after the date of 
                                enactment of the Federal Student Loan 
                                Refinancing Act; and
                                    ``(II) notify the borrower, in 
                                writing, prior to such consolidation 
                                that--
                                            ``(aa) the borrower's loans 
                                        under this part have been 
                                        consolidated at a lower 
                                        interest rate; and
                                            ``(bb) the borrower's 
                                        repayment plan and the other 
                                        terms and conditions of the 
                                        borrower's loan remain 
                                        unchanged.
                            ``(ii) Other loans.--In the case of a 
                        borrower who has 1 or more loans described 
                        under clause (ii) or (iii) of subparagraph (B), 
                        the Secretary shall--
                                    ``(I) initiate the loan 
                                consolidation process for the loans 
                                described under clause (ii) or (iii) of 
                                subparagraph (B), not later than 90 
                                days after the date of enactment of the 
                                Federal Student Loan Refinancing Act, 
                                by sending a completed loan 
                                consolidation application to the 
                                borrower;
                                    ``(II) notify the borrower, as part 
                                of such application, that a fee will be 
                                assessed and that the interest rate of 
                                the Federal Direct Consolidation Loan 
                                will be set in accordance with 
                                paragraph (2); and
                                    ``(III) notify the borrower, as 
                                part of such application, that if the 
                                borrower wishes to consolidate in 
                                accordance with the completed 
                                application, the borrower must endorse 
                                the application and submit the 
                                application to the Secretary not more 
                                than 6 months after receipt of the 
                                application.
            ``(2) Terms of loans.--The following terms and conditions 
        shall apply to a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan made under 
        this subsection:
                    ``(A) The applicable rate of interest on a Federal 
                Direct Consolidation Loan made under this subsection 
                shall be--
                            ``(i) 4 percent; or
                            ``(ii) in a case in which the weighted 
                        average of the interest rates on the 
                        outstanding loans of a borrower that will be 
                        consolidated is less than 4 percent, the lesser 
                        of--
                                    ``(I) the weighted average of the 
                                interest rates on the outstanding loans 
                                of a borrower that will be 
                                consolidated; or
                                    ``(II) a rate of interest equal 
                                to--
                                            ``(aa) 4 percent; minus
                                            ``(bb) 0.4 percent of the 
                                        principal balance of the 
                                        consolidation loan, at the time 
                                        of consolidation.
                    ``(B) In the case of a loan consolidated under 
                paragraph (1)(C)(ii), an origination fee equal to 0.4 
                percent of the principal balance of the consolidation 
                loan, at the time of consolidation, will be added to 
                the principal balance of the loan, and the Secretary 
                shall use the fee to cover the cost of making and 
                servicing the loan.
                    ``(C) If 1 or more of the loans being consolidated 
                is a loan described under paragraph (1)(B)(iii), the 
                interest rate on the Federal Direct Consolidation Loan 
                under this subsection shall be reduced by 0.25 percent.
                    ``(D) Any benefit a borrower is receiving or 
                earning at the time a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan 
                is issued under this subsection shall not be affected 
                by consolidation under this section, including benefits 
                such as a deferment or forbearance, accumulation of 
                monthly payments as part of the public service loan 
                forgiveness program under section 455(m), accumulation 
                of monthly payments toward a loan discharge under the 
                income-based repayment plan under section 493C, 
                participation in a particular repayment plan, and other 
                benefits to the borrower.''.

SEC. 3. EXEMPTIONS FROM OTHER LAWS.

    (a) Exemption From the Paperwork Reduction Act.--Chapter 35 of 
title 44, United States Code, shall not apply to this Act.
    (b) Inapplicability of Rulemaking Requirements.--Sections 482(c) 
and 492 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1089(c), 1098a) 
and section 553 of title 5, United States Code, shall not apply to the 
amendments made by this Act, or to any regulations promulgated under 
such amendments.
[A]: Federal Student Loan Refinancing Act This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow borrowers that received loans under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (DL) or Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program on or after July 1, 2006, to consolidate those loans as Federal Direct Consolidation Loans.  It directs the Department of Education (ED) to consolidate DLs, and send a completed loan consolidation application to FFEL borrowers, within 90 days of this bill's enactment. It gives FFEL borrowers six months after their receipt of such application to endorse it and submit it to ED if they wish to consolidate their loans. The bill sets the interest rate on Federal Direct Consolidation Loans at 4% or, if the weighted average of the interest rates of the loans being consolidated is less than 4%, the lesser of: (1) that weighted average, or (2) an interest rate equal to 0.4% of the principal balance of the consolidation loan at the time of consolidation. It adds an origination fee equal to 0.4% of the principal balance of the consolidation loan at the time of consolidation if an FFEL is being consolidated. It reduces the interest rate on a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan by 0.25% if one or more of the loans being consolidated is an FFEL held by an eligible lender. The bill prohibits any benefit a borrower is receiving or earning when issued a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan from being affected by the consolidation.


[Q]: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Small Business Health Tax Credit 
Act''.

SEC. 2. SMALL BUSINESS TAX CREDIT FOR 50 PERCENT OF HEALTH PREMIUMS.

    (a) In General.--Subpart D of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to business-related 
credits) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 45G. EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE EXPENSES.

    ``(a) General Rule.--For purposes of section 38, in the case of a 
qualified small employer, the employee health insurance expenses credit 
determined under this section is an amount equal to the applicable 
percentage of the amount paid by the taxpayer during the taxable year 
for qualified employee health insurance expenses.
    ``(b) Applicable Percentage.--For purposes of subsection (a), the 
applicable percentage is equal to--
            ``(1) 50 percent in the case of an employer with less than 
        26 qualified employees,
            ``(2) 40 percent in the case of an employer with more than 
        25 but less than 36 qualified employees, and
            ``(3) 30 percent in the case of an employer with more than 
        35 but less than 51 qualified employees.
    ``(c) Per Employee Dollar Limitation.--The amount of qualified 
employee health insurance expenses taken into account under subsection 
(a) with respect to any qualified employee for any taxable year shall 
not exceed the maximum employer contribution for self-only coverage or 
family coverage (as applicable) determined under section 8906(a) of 
title 5, United States Code, for the calendar year in which such 
taxable year begins.
    ``(d) Definitions and Special Rules.--For purposes of this 
section--
            ``(1) Qualified small employer.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `qualified small 
                employer' means any small employer which provides 
                eligibility for health insurance coverage (after any 
                waiting period (as defined in section 9801(b)(4))) to 
                all qualified employees of the employer.
                    ``(B) Small employer.--
                            ``(i) In general.--For purposes of this 
                        paragraph, the term `small employer' means, 
                        with respect to any calendar year, any employer 
                        if such employer employed an average of not 
                        less than 2 and not more than 50 qualified 
                        employees on business days during either of the 
                        2 preceding calendar years. For purposes of the 
                        preceding sentence, a preceding calendar year 
                        may be taken into account only if the employer 
                        was in existence throughout such year.
                            ``(ii) Employers not in existence in 
                        preceding year.--In the case of an employer 
                        which was not in existence throughout the 1st 
                        preceding calendar year, the determination 
                        under clause (i) shall be based on the average 
                        number of qualified employees that it is 
                        reasonably expected such employer will employ 
                        on business days in the current calendar year.
            ``(2) Qualified employee health insurance expenses.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `qualified employee 
                health insurance expenses' means any amount paid by an 
                employer for health insurance coverage to the extent 
                such amount is attributable to coverage provided to any 
                employee while such employee is a qualified employee.
                    ``(B) Exception for amounts paid under salary 
                reduction arrangements.--No amount paid or incurred for 
                health insurance coverage pursuant to a salary 
                reduction arrangement shall be taken into account under 
                subparagraph (A).
                    ``(C) Health insurance coverage.--The term `health 
                insurance coverage' has the meaning given such term by 
                paragraph (1) of section 9832(b) (determined by 
                disregarding the last sentence of paragraph (2) of such 
                section).
            ``(3) Qualified employee.--The term `qualified employee' 
        means an employee of an employer who, with respect to any 
period, is not provided health insurance coverage under--
                    ``(A) a health plan of the employee's spouse,
                    ``(B) title XVIII, XIX, or XXI of the Social 
                Security Act,
                    ``(C) chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code,
                    ``(D) chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code,
                    ``(E) chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, or
                    ``(F) any other provision of law.
            ``(4) Employee--The term `employee'--
                    ``(A) means any individual, with respect to any 
                calendar year, who is reasonably expected to receive at 
                least $5,000 of compensation from the employer during 
                such year,
                    ``(B) does not include an employee within the 
                meaning of section 401(c)(1), and
                    ``(C) includes a leased employee within the meaning 
                of section 414(n).
            ``(5) Compensation.--The term `compensation' means amounts 
        described in section 6051(a)(3).
    ``(e) Certain Rules Made Applicable.--For purposes of this section, 
rules similar to the rules of section 52 shall apply.
    ``(f) Denial of Double Benefit.--No deduction or credit under any 
other provision of this chapter shall be allowed with respect to 
qualified employee health insurance expenses taken into account under 
subsection (a).''.
    (b) Credit To Be Part of General Business Credit.--Section 38(b) of 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to current year business 
credit) is amended by striking ``plus'' at the end of paragraph (14), 
by striking the period at the end of paragraph (15) and inserting ``, 
plus'', and by adding at the end the following:
            ``(16) the employee health insurance expenses credit 
        determined under section 45G.''.
    (c) Credit Allowed Against Minimum Tax.--
            (1) In general.--Subsection (c) of section 38 of the 
        Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to limitation based on 
        amount of tax) is amended by redesignating paragraph (4) as 
        paragraph (5) and by inserting after paragraph (3) the 
        following new paragraph:
            ``(4) Special rules for employee health insurance credit.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In the case of the employee 
                health insurance credit--
                            ``(i) this section and section 39 shall be 
                        applied separately with respect to the credit, 
                        and
                            ``(ii) in applying paragraph (1) to the 
                        credit--
                                    ``(I) the amounts in subparagraphs 
                                (A) and (B) thereof shall be treated as 
                                being zero, and
                                    ``(II) the limitation under 
                                paragraph (1) (as modified by subclause 
                                (I)) shall be reduced by the credit 
                                allowed under subsection (a) for the 
                                taxable year (other than the employee 
                                health insurance credit).
                    ``(B) Employee health insurance credit.--For 
                purposes of this subsection, the term `employee health 
                insurance credit' means the credit allowable under 
                subsection (a) by reason of section 45G(a).''.
            (2) Conforming amendments.--
                    (A) Subclause (II) of section 38(c)(2)(A)(ii) of 
                such Code is amended by inserting ``or the employee 
                health insurance credit'' after ``employee credit''.
                    (B) Subclause (II) of section 38(c)(3)(A)(ii) of 
                such Code is amended by inserting ``or the employee 
                health insurance credit'' after ``employee credit''.
    (d) No Carrybacks.--Subsection (d) of section 39 of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to carryback and carryforward of unused 
credits) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(11) No carryback of section 45g credit before effective 
        date.--No portion of the unused business credit for any taxable 
        year which is attributable to the employee health insurance 
        expenses credit determined under section 45G may be carried 
        back to a taxable year ending before the date of the enactment 
        of section 45G.''.
    (e) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for subpart D of 
part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 is amended by adding at the end the following:

                              ``Sec. 45G. Employee health insurance 
                                        expenses.''.
    (f) Employer Outreach.--The Internal Revenue Service shall, in 
conjunction with the Small Business Administration, develop materials 
and implement an educational program to ensure that business personnel 
are aware of--
            (1) the eligibility criteria for the tax credit provided 
        under section 45G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as 
        added by this section),
            (2) the methods to be used in calculating such credit,
            (3) the documentation needed in order to claim such credit, 
        and
            (4) any available health plan purchasing alliances 
        established under title II,
so that the maximum number of eligible businesses may claim the tax 
credit.
    (g) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to amounts paid or incurred in taxable years beginning after the 
date of the enactment of this Act.
[A]: Small Business Health Tax Credit Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow small business employers (employers with between two and 50 employees) an income tax credit of between 30 to 50 percent (depending upon the number of employees) of the amount paid for employee health insurance, subject to a dollar limitation for each employee. Allows the employer to apply such credit against its minimum tax liability. Directs the Internal Revenue Service, in conjunction with the Small Business Administration, to educate small business personnel about this tax credit.


[Q]: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Home Office Worker Protection Act of 
2000''.

SEC. 2. APPLICATION OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT OF 1970 TO 
              HOME OFFICE EMPLOYMENT.

    (a) Regulations Required.--The Secretary of Labor shall issue 
regulations specifying the application of the Occupational Safety and 
Health Act of 1970 to workplaces located in the residence of an 
employee who is engaged in--
            (1) home office employment; or
            (2) types of employment other than home office employment.
    (b) Content.--The regulations required by subsection (a) shall 
include--
            (1) a description of the types of employment conducted in 
        the residence of the employee encompassed by the term ``other 
        than home office employment'' such as--
                    (A) the manufacture, assembly (including 
                disassembly), or processing of goods for commerce; or
                    (B) employment which requires an employee to be 
                regularly exposed to a toxic or hazardous substance in 
                excess of an exposure limitation specified in 
                regulations of the Secretary of Labor published at 
                subpart Z of part 1910 of title 29, Code of Federal 
                Regulations;
            (2) a prohibition on conducting an inspection of a worksite 
        located in the residence of an employee engaged in home office 
        employment; and
            (3) the action to be taken when a complaint or referral is 
        received by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration 
        which indicates that a violation of a safety or health standard 
        exists which threatens physical harm or exposes an employee to 
        an imminent danger at a worksite located in the residence of an 
        employee who is engaged in types of employment other than home 
        office employment.
    (c) Maximizing Public Participation in the Formulation of 
Implementing Regulations.--
            (1) Notice and comment rulemaking.--The Secretary of Labor 
        shall implement the regulations required by subsection (a) by 
        means of a rule promulgated pursuant to section 553 of title 5, 
        United States Code.
            (2) Fostering maximum public participation.--In addition to 
        such other means as the Secretary deems appropriate, the 
        Secretary shall seek to maximize public participation by--
                    (A) utilizing an advance notice of proposed rule 
                making;
                    (B) announcing the publication of the advance 
                notice of proposed rulemaking and the proposed rule 
                through additional means, especially electronic means, 
                designed to reach affected workers and the firms that 
                employ them;
                    (C) making the text of the advance notice of 
                proposed rulemaking and of the proposed rule available 
                through electronic means; and
                    (D) providing not less than 60 days for public 
                comment on the proposed rule.
    (d) Required Regulatory Schedule.--
            (1) Time for issuance of advance notice of proposed 
        rulemaking.--The Secretary shall issue an advance notice of 
        proposed rulemaking pertaining to the formulation of 
        regulations under subsection (a) within 30 days of the date of 
        enactment of this Act.
            (2) Issuance of final regulation.--The Secretary shall 
        issue the final regulations within 510 days of the date of 
        enactment of this Act, specifying an effective date that is 30 
        days after the date of publication of such final regulation.

SEC. 3. AMENDMENT TO OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT OF 1970.

    (a) Application to Home Office Employment.--Section 4(b) of the 
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 653(b)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(5)(A) Except as provided in subparagraphs (B), (C) and (D), 
nothing in this Act shall apply to home office employment performed in 
a workplace located in the residence of the employee engaged in such 
employment.
    ``(B) Pursuant to section 8 and its implementing regulations, 
employers shall report work-related injuries and illnesses sustained by 
an employee engaged in home office employment.
    ``(C) Pursuant to sections 9 and 10, the Secretary may impose 
sanctions for a failure of an employer to report a work-related injury 
or illness sustained by an employee engaged in home office employment, 
subject to review of such sanctions pursuant to sections 11 and 12.
    ``(D) Pursuant to section 21(c), the Secretary may make available 
information and standards to employees and employers in the 
recognition, avoidance, and prevention of unsafe or unhealthful working 
conditions appropriate for home office employment.''.
    (b) Definition.--Section 3 of the Occupational Safety and Health 
Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 652) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
            ``(15) The term home office employment means providing 
        professional, technical, clerical, or similar types of services 
        utilizing information technology and other types of equipment 
        used in an office work setting located in the residence of an 
        employee.''.
    (c) Implementing Regulations Promulgated Through Notice and Comment 
Rulemaking.--The Secretary of Labor shall implement subsections (a) and 
(b) and the amendments made by such sections by means of a rule 
promulgated pursuant to section 553 of title 5, United States Code.
    (d) Content of the Regulations.--In addition to such matters as the 
Secretary may deem appropriate, the regulations required by subsection 
(c) shall specify the extent of the application of the Occupational 
Safety and Health Act of 1970 to workplaces located in the residence of 
an employee if the employee is engaged in--
            (1) home office employment; or
            (2) types of employment other than home office employment.
    (e) Maximizing Public Participation in the Formulation of Required 
Regulations.--In addition to such other means as the Secretary deems 
appropriate, the Secretary shall, in promulgation of the regulations 
under subsection (c) of this Section, maximize public participation by 
--
            (1) utilizing an advance notice of proposed rulemaking;
            (2) announcing the publication of the advance notice of 
        proposed rulemaking and the proposed rule through additional 
        means, especially electronic means, designed to reach affected 
        workers and the firms that employ them;
            (3) making the text of the advance notice or proposed 
        rulemaking and of the proposed rule available through 
        electronic means; and
            (4) providing not less than 60 days for public comment on 
        the proposed rule.
    (f) Effective Dates.--If final regulations are not issued under 
section 2(d)(2), the amendment to the Act made by subsection (a) and 
the requirement to issue regulations pursuant to subsection (b) shall 
become effective on the date on which such final regulations were 
required to be issued.

SEC. 4. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

    Nothing in this Act is intended to affect the continued 
effectiveness of the instruction issued by the Assistant Secretary of 
Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, identified as Occupational 
Safety and Health Administration Instruction Number CPL2-0.125, 
entitled ``Home-based Worksites'', and effective February 25, 2000, 
until such time as regulations are issued under section 2(a) or 3(b).

SEC. 5. DEFINITION.

    For purposes of section 2 of this Act, the term ``home office 
employment'' means providing professional, technical, clerical, or 
similar services utilizing information technology and other type of 
equipment used in an office work setting located in the residence of an 
employee.
[A]:
Requires such regulations to: (1) describe the types of non-home-office employee residence work (such as manufacture, assembly, disassembly, or processing of goods for commerce, or employment requiring regular exposure to a toxic or hazardous substance in excess of an exposure limitation in specified regulations); (2) prohibit inspections of home office worksites; and (3) specify the action to be taken when a complaint or referral is received by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration which indicates that a violation of a safety or health standard exists which threatens physical harm or exposes an employee to an imminent danger at an employee residence worksite other than a home office.
Directs the Secretary to seek to maximize public participation in the formulation of such regulations by: (1) using an advance notice of proposed rule making; (2) announcing the publication of the advance notice of proposed rulemaking and the proposed rule through additional means, especially electronic means, designed to reach affected workers and the firms that employ them; (3) making the text of the advance notice of proposed rulemaking and of the proposed rule available through electronic means; and (4) providing at least 60 days for public comment on the proposed rule. Sets forth regulatory schedule requirements.
Amends OSHA to make it inapplicable to home office employment, with the following exceptions which relate to specified OSHA provisions. Requires employers to report work-related injuries and illnesses sustained by an employee engaged in home office employment. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) impose sanctions for a failure of an employer to report a work-related injury or illness sustained by an employee engaged in home office employment, subject to review of such sanctions; and (2) make available information and standards to employees and employers in the recognition, avoidance, and prevention of unsafe or unhealthful working conditions appropriate for home office employment.