H 1294 Massachusetts House · 193rd Legislature (2023-2024)

An Act to facilitate student financial assistance

This bill requires high school students in Massachusetts to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) before graduating, with specific exceptions for students whose parents or guardians decline the requirement or for districts that have made documented efforts to assist families. To support compliance, the law mandates that schools provide multilingual forms and personalized outreach in students' preferred languages, while also establishing a dedicated state fund to help districts cover the costs of these assistance programs. The legislation aims to simplify access to financial aid by making the application process a standard part of the graduation requirements, ensuring that all students are informed about and able to utilize available funding options.
Bill status passed 3 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2023
Committee Review
Feb 2023
Senate Passage
Feb 2023
Governor
Introduced Feb 16, 2023 Last action Jan 22, 2024
Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate. No roll call record of that vote is available.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
5
Key actions
1
Committee
1
Feb 16, 2023
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred
upper
Feb 16, 2023
Committee
Referred to the committee on Higher Education
lower
0 primary · 8 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.