Revises high school student financial aid application requirements.

The bill was expanded from a brief amendment removing the sunset on the financial aid application requirement into a full rewrite of Section 1 of P.L.2023, c.295 (now cross-referenced to P.L.2025, c.95) with numerous new subsections covering resources, notifications, privacy, reporting, and regulation.

New subsection c requires the Executive Director of HESAA to provide resources including webinars, presentations, guidance documents, and a list of state and federal resources to help students and parents complete financial aid applications.

New subsection d requires each school district and charter school to annually notify students and their parents or guardians of the financial aid application requirement.

New subsection j adds privacy protections prohibiting school districts or charter schools from using or disclosing any waiver or personal information contained in a waiver without informed consent, consistent with FERPA. Requires prominent privacy language on all waiver forms.

New subsection e prohibits any adverse action by a board of education or charter school against a student who receives an exemption from the financial aid application requirement.

New subsection f clarifies that nothing in the law requires school counselors or employees to assist students in completing applications and creates no private right of action against districts, charter schools, or the State.

New subsection k provides that nothing invalidates a waiver submitted prior to the effective date of P.L.2025, c.95, and such prior waivers remain subject to the new privacy protections.

New subsection g requires HESAA to make its resources available to institutions of higher education to facilitate technical assistance delivery to area high schools.

New subsection h requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules and regulations under the Administrative Procedure Act to carry out the section's provisions.

The reporting requirement was changed from a one-time report due no later than three years after the effective date to an annual report issued to the Department of Education and the Legislature, including the number of students who completed applications and the number of waivers submitted.