BASIC Act
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (31 Oct 2019): Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
What this bill does
H.R. 4968, the Basic Assistance for Students In College (BASIC) Act, would direct federal agencies to help colleges identify and support students struggling to meet basic needs. It requires the Secretary of Education, working with the Secretaries of Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, and Health and Human Services, to develop a data-sharing agreement within 90 days of enactment to identify college students who may qualify for programs such as SNAP, SSI, TANF, WIC, Medicaid, and federal housing assistance, and to help colleges enroll eligible students. The bill also amends the Higher Education Act to create a new grant program: one-year planning grants (up to $50,000) to help institutions study and design strategies for addressing student food, housing, transportation, child care, health care, and technology needs, and five-year implementation grants (up to $500,000) to carry out those strategies. It reserves at least 25% of grant funds for community colleges and gives priority to schools with high shares of Pell-eligible students, HBCUs, and certain minority-serving institutions. It authorizes $500 million total for fiscal years 2021–2027.
The bill primarily affects institutions of higher education, particularly community colleges, HBCUs, and schools serving large numbers of low-income students, as well as students facing food or housing insecurity or other unmet basic needs. Federal agencies administering benefit programs would also be affected through new data-sharing and coordination requirements.
The bill was introduced on October 31, 2019, by Rep. Norma Torres and referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor. It did not receive a vote and did not become law in the 116th Congress.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Basic Assistance for Students In College Act or the BASIC Act
This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to award planning and implementation grants to institutions of higher education in order to identify and meet the basic needs of students, including food, housing, transportation, and health care. ED must also implement an agreement to (1) share data with other federal agencies in order to identify students who may be eligible for certain federal benefits; and (2) coordinate efforts to enroll those students in federal benefits programs, including Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Timeline
31 Oct 2019
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 4968 do?
- H.R. 4968, the Basic Assistance for Students In College (BASIC) Act, would direct federal agencies to help colleges identify and support students struggling to meet basic needs. It requires the Secretary of Education, working with the Secretaries of Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, and Health and Human Services, to develop a data-sharing agreement within 90 days of enactment to identify college students who may qualify for programs such as SNAP, SSI, TANF, WIC, Medicaid, and federal housing assistance, and to help colleges enroll eligible students. The bill also amends the Higher Education Act to create a new grant program: one-year planning grants (up to $50,000) to help institutions study and design strategies for addressing student food, housing, transportation, child care, health care, and technology needs, and five-year implementation grants (up to $500,000) to carry out those strategies. It reserves at least 25% of grant funds for community colleges and gives priority to schools with high shares of Pell-eligible students, HBCUs, and certain minority-serving institutions. It authorizes $500 million total for fiscal years 2021–2027. The bill primarily affects institutions of higher education, particularly community colleges, HBCUs, and schools serving large numbers of low-income students, as well as students facing food or housing insecurity or other unmet basic needs. Federal agencies administering benefit programs would also be affected through new data-sharing and coordination requirements. The bill was introduced on October 31, 2019, by Rep. Norma Torres and referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor. It did not receive a vote and did not become law in the 116th Congress.
- Has H.R. 4968 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for H.R. 4968. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored H.R. 4968?
- H.R. 4968 was sponsored by Rep. Torres, Norma J. [D-CA-35] (D-CA), with 18 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 4968?
- Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor. (31 Oct 2019).
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