Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Working Students Act”.
Working Students Act
A BILL
To amend title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 in order to increase the amount of financial support available for working students.
Sec. 2 Increasing support for working students by 35 percent
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 $9,010 for academic year 2018–2019;”
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 $14,010 for academic year 2018–2019; and
“(II) for married students where one is enrolled pursuant to subsection (a)(2), of $22,460 for academic year 2018–2019;”
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 2018–2019:”
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 2018–2019, 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 2018–2019, 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 for the most recent calendar year ending prior to the beginning of the academic year for which the determination is being made), 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 2018–2019, by increasing each of the dollar amounts contained in such section for academic year 2018–2019 by a percentage equal to the estimated percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index (as determined by the Secretary for the most recent calendar year ending prior to the beginning of the academic year for which the determination is being made), and rounding the result to the nearest $10.”.
Effective date— The amendments made by this section shall take effect beginning on July 1, 2018, and shall apply to grant and award determinations made under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) beginning with the 2018–2019 award year.