Equitable Student Aid Access Act

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to simplify the financial aid application process, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Equitable Student Aid Access Act 2. Zero expected family contribution (a) Simplified needs test Section 479(b)(1) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1087ss(b)(1) (1) in subparagraph (A)(i)— (A) in subclause (II), by adding or (B) in subclause (III), by striking or and (C) by striking subclause (IV); and (2) in subparagraph (B)(i)— (A) in subclause (II), by adding or (B) in subclause (III), by striking or and (C) by striking subclause (IV). (b) Zero expected family contribution Section 479(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1087ss(c) (1) in paragraph (1)— (A) by inserting except as provided in paragraph (3), in the case of (B) in subparagraph (A)— (i) in clause (ii), by adding or (ii) in clause (iii) by striking or and (iii) by striking clause (iv); and (C) in subparagraph (B), by striking or (2) in paragraph (2)— (A) by inserting except as provided in paragraph (3), in the case of (B) in subparagraph (A)— (i) in clause (ii), by adding or (ii) in clause (iii) by striking or and (iii) by striking clause (iv); and (C) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or (3) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: (3) (A) in the case of a dependent student, the student or a member of the student’s household received benefits at some time during the previous 24-month period under a means-tested Federal benefit program as defined under subsection (d); or (B) in the case of an independent student (without regard to whether such student has dependents), the student received benefits at some time during the previous 24-month period under a means-tested Federal benefit program as defined under subsection (d). . (c) Income threshold Section 479(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1087ss(c) (1) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking $23,000 $30,000 (2) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking $23,000 $30,000 (d) Means-Tested Federal benefit program Section 479(d)(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1087ss(d)(2) (C) the Medicaid program established under title XIX of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1396 . 3. Using data from second preceding year Section 480(a)(1)(B) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1087vv(a)(1)(B) (1) by striking may shall (2) by striking sharing of data between sharing of data, to the extent such data is available, between 4. Early FAFSA submission Section 483(a)(8) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1090(a)(8) as early as practicable prior to January 1 of not later than October 1 of the year preceding 5. Effective date The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to award years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Summary: Equitable Student Aid Access Act This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise requirements governing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The bill increases the adjusted gross income threshold used to determine whether a student qualifies for an automatic zero expected family contribution (EFC) in the calculation of the student's financial need. A dependent student is eligible for an automatic zero EFC if the student's parents have adjusted gross income up to $30,000. An independent student with non-spouse dependents is eligible for a zero EFC if the student and spouse have adjusted gross income up to $30,000. The bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to allow students to use tax information from the year before the previous one in determining their financial aid eligibility. The Internal Revenue Service and ED must share available data pursuant to taxpayer consent. The bill requires the FAFSA application to be available to students by October 1, which is three months earlier than is currently required.