Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Reduce Barriers to College Act”.
Reduce Barriers to College Act
A BILL
To require the Internal Revenue Service to meet higher standards in security screening and to improve the process for obtaining return information and verification of nonfiling in connection with completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Sec. 2 Improved IRS identity authentication process
The Commissioner of Internal Revenue shall ensure that the implemented authentication processes used for all current and future online applications provide the level of assurance required by National Institute for Standards and Technology standards for the determined level of authentication risk, as recommended by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Sec. 3 Verification of nonfiling in connection with FAFSA application
Online portal—
In general— Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commissioner of Internal Revenue (in consultation with the Secretary of Education) shall establish an online portal for individuals to request and have submitted a verification of nonfiling for any taxable year to the Secretary of Education as part of the process of completing the individual’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
Authentication— Any such verification shall not be approved for submission through such portal process unless the individual’s identity is authenticated by a valid social security number and any one of the following:
Personal account number from a credit card, mortgage, home equity loan, home equity line of credit, or car loan.
Mobile phone with the individual’s name on the account.
Household utility bill associated with the individual’s mailing address.
Student transcripts.
Bank account statement.
Passport or State issued driver’s license.
Response time for verification of nonfiling in connection with FAFSA— The Internal Revenue Service shall, not later than 10 business days after receipt from the individual, process any request for, or respond to any inquiries relating to, a verification of nonfiling in connection with an individual’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
Sec. 4 Simplified needs test
Section 479 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ss) is amended—
in subsection (b)(1)(B)(i)(II), by inserting before the semicolon at the end the following: “or has obtained a verification of nonfiling from the Commissioner of Internal Revenue”; and
in subsection (c)(2)(A)(ii), by inserting before the semicolon at the end the following: “or has obtained a verification of nonfiling from the Commissioner of Internal Revenue”.