Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Working Student Act of 2015”.
Working Student Act of 2015
A BILL
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to increase the income protection allowances.
Sec. 2 Support for working students
Dependent students— Section 475(g)(2)(D) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087oo(g)(2)(D)) is amended to read as follows:
“(D) an income protection allowance (or a successor amount prescribed by the Secretary under section 478) of $8,519 for academic year 2016–2017;”
Independent students without dependents other than a spouse— Section 476(b)(1)(A)(iv) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087pp(b)(1)(A)(iv)) is amended to read as follows:
“(iv) an income protection allowance (or a successor amount prescribed by the Secretary under section 478)—
“(I) for single or separated students, or married students where both are enrolled pursuant to subsection (a)(2), of $13,244 for academic year 2016–2017; and
“(II) for married students where 1 is enrolled pursuant to subsection (a)(2), of $21,222 for academic year 2016–2017;”
Independent students with dependents other than a spouse— Section 477(b)(4) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087qq(b)(4)) is amended to read as follows:
“(4) Income protection allowance—The income protection allowance is determined by the following table (or a successor table prescribed by the Secretary under section 478), for academic year 2016–2017:”
Updated tables and amounts— Section 478(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087rr(b)) is amended—
in paragraph (1), by striking subparagraphs (A) and (B) and inserting the following:
“(A) In general—For each academic year after academic year 2016–2017, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a revised table of income protection allowances for the purpose of sections 475(c)(4) and 477(b)(4), subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C).
“(B) Table for independent students—For each academic year after academic year 2016–2017, the Secretary shall develop the revised table of income protection allowances by increasing each of the dollar amounts contained in the table of income protection allowances under section 477(b)(4) by a percentage equal to the estimated percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index (as determined by the Secretary) between December 2014 and the December next preceding the beginning of such academic year, and rounding the result to the nearest $10.”
in paragraph (2), by striking “shall be developed” and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting “shall be developed for each academic year after academic year 2016–2017, by increasing each of the dollar amounts contained in such section for academic year 2016–2017 by a percentage equal to the estimated percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index (as determined by the Secretary) between December 2014 and the December next preceding the beginning of such academic year, and rounding the result to the nearest $10.”.
Effective date— The amendments made by this section shall be effective on July 1, 2016.