Education (Student Financial Aid)

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 346: An Act to advance fairness, integrity, and excellence in higher education admissions

HD 346 requires all 4-year, degree-granting colleges in the state to annually report detailed admissions data, including whether they use legacy preferences, donor relationships, or early decision/admission policies, and to disaggregate student enrollment by race, financial aid status, and admission pathway. The bill prohibits colleges from considering legacy status, donor relationships, or early decision policies without paying a public service fee calculated as a percentage of their endowment per student. Fees range from 0.01% to 0.2% of endowment, with minimum payments of $1 million for institutions with over $1.5 billion in endowment. All collected fees fund the Higher Education Opportunity Trust Fund, which supports public community colleges and state universities.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates transparency in admissions and bans legacy/donor preferences to promote fairness in higher education access, aligning with expanding educational access and equity.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1473: An Act relative to debt-free public higher education

This bill declares free public higher education a right for Massachusetts residents. It creates a state grant program covering tuition and mandatory fees at public colleges, universities, and vocational programs for eligible students. Eligibility requires graduating from a Massachusetts high school (or equivalent) after three years of attendance, or qualifying for in-state tuition under federal rules. The grants supplement, but do not replace, existing federal aid like Pell Grants and state scholarships, with no restrictions on academic programs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates state grants covering tuition/fees for public higher education, expanding access and supplementing existing aid without replacing federal support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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passed · Massachusetts · Senate Dec 24, 2025

S 929: An Act relative to debt-free public higher education

By Mr. Eldridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 929) of James B. Eldridge, Vanna Howard, Jacob R. Oliveira, Mike Connolly and other members of the General Court for legislation to guarantee debt-free public higher education. Higher Education.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationGuarantees debt-free public higher education, directly expanding access and reducing financial barriers for students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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passed · Massachusetts · House Feb 17, 2026

H 1436: An Act relative to debt-free public higher education

By Representatives Higgins of Leominster and Gentile of Sudbury, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1436) of Natalie M. Higgins, Carmine Lawrence Gentile and others for legislation to establish a grant program to pay the equivalent of tuition and mandatory fees to eligible students at Massachusetts public higher education institutions. Higher Education.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates grant program covering tuition/fees at public colleges, directly increasing access and reducing financial barriers for students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 16, 2026

H 3228: An Act relative to tuition tax credit

By Representative Rogers of Norwood, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3228) of John H. Rogers relative to a tax credit for tuition and fees for higher education. Revenue.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tuition tax credit, offering tax relief for education expenses, aligning with support indicators for middle-income families.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationTax credit for higher education tuition directly increases affordability and access to postsecondary education, aligning with support indicators for educational access and funding.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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passed · Massachusetts · Senate Nov 6, 2025

S 925: An Act to support access to vocational schools

By Mr. Cyr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 925) of Julian Cyr and Francisco E. Paulino for legislation to support access to vocational schools by creating MassReconnect, a scholarship program to provide financial assistance to students from the commonwealth. Higher Education.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates MassReconnect scholarship program to fund vocational school access, directly advancing educational access and higher education funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · Massachusetts · Senate Nov 13, 2025

S 2702: An Act relative to the endowment match program

Senate, November 13, 2025 -- The committee on Higher Education, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 919) of Joanne M. Comerford for legislation to modernize the endowment match program for community colleges; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 935) of Edward J. Kennedy for legislation to reform institutional eligibility requirements for state-based financial aid; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 936) of Edward J. Kennedy for legislation relative to the endowment match program; and (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 948) of Jacob R. Oliveira for legislation relative to the endowment match program, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2702).

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationModernizes endowment match program for community colleges, enhancing state funding mechanisms for higher education institutions.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2468: An Act relative to postsecondary education in correctional facilities

This bill requires Massachusetts state agencies to conduct a comprehensive assessment of postsecondary education programs in correctional facilities. It mandates evaluating current program access (including Pell Grant use), unmet demand among incarcerated people, facility infrastructure needs, and policy barriers like classification rules or transfer practices. The assessment will gather input from incarcerated students, higher education providers, and relevant state agencies to identify improvements needed for expanding high-quality, workforce-aligned education. The findings must be reported to the legislature by January 1, 2026, to guide future program expansion and coordination.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates assessment to improve postsecondary education access in correctional facilities, directly supporting rehabilitation and criminal justice reform through enhanced program access and policy barriers removal.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates assessment to improve postsecondary access in correctional facilities, expanding educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Student Financial Aid Testing & Assessment

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1506: An Act to support access to vocational schools

HD 1506 expands the MassReconnect scholarship program to include students enrolled in Practical Nursing Programs at Career/Vocational Technical Education Schools in Massachusetts. This bill directly affects students seeking vocational training in practical nursing by making them eligible for the same state-funded financial aid previously available only to community college students. The key mechanism is an amendment to Chapter 140 of the Acts of 2024, adding the specific program type to the scholarship's eligibility criteria. This change provides targeted financial support for students pursuing hands-on healthcare careers at vocational schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands MassReconnect scholarship access to vocational nursing students, increasing state-funded financial aid for career training programs and broadening educational access.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands state-funded scholarships for practical nursing vocational programs, supporting healthcare workforce development and access to nursing training.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Student Financial Aid

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2891: An Act to facilitate student financial assistance

This bill requires Massachusetts high school students to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) before graduation, with limited exemptions for students or families who formally decline (via school-approved forms) or for minors where schools document efforts to assist. It mandates schools to provide support for FAFSA completion and establishes a dedicated FAFSA Trust Fund to cover implementation costs, including training, workshops, and community partnerships - prioritizing underserved districts. Schools must annually report FAFSA submission rates and exemptions broken down by demographics like race and location. The law takes effect for the fund in 2025 and for student requirements in 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEstablishes dedicated FAFSA Trust Fund to cover implementation costs, directly allocating state budget funds for student financial assistance program.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates FAFSA completion for financial aid access, establishes FAFSA Trust Fund for school support, directly advancing educational access and funding for students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid

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