S 3871 — Directs Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to increase income protection allowance used in determining eligibility of independent adult student for Tuition Aid Grant Program.
Last action — REF SBA
-
1Introduced
-
2In Committee
-
3Passed Senate
-
4Passed General Assembly
-
5To Executive
-
6Enacted
This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced March 12, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Next likely step: a committee referral and hearing.
Odds of enactment
Low chanceBased on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.
Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.
A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.
Prognosis
-
Introduced
Current position in the legislative process.
-
1 sponsor
1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.
-
Single-party support
Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 D).
-
Cleared a recorded vote
Passed 1 recorded vote so far.
Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.
Summary
Higher Education Student Assistance Authority-concerns Tuition Aid Grant Prog
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
7 added · 20 removedPlain-language change summary
The amendment updates the bill's language to clarify that it supplements chapter 71B of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes. It specifies that the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) is directed to increase the income protection allowance for independent adult students seeking tuition aid grants, aligning it with the federal income protection allowance used for Pell grants. This change matters because it potentially increases the amount of income that independent adult students can disregard when determining their eligibility for financial aid.
S3871 1R [First Reprint] SENATE, No.
CRYAN District 20 (Union) SYNOPSIS Directs Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to increase income protection allowance used in determining eligibility of independent adult student for Tuition Aid Grant Program. CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT As introduced.reported by the Senate Higher Education Committee on March 16, 2026, with amendments.
An Act concerning the Tuition Aid Grant Program and supplementing chapter 71B of1of theTitle New18A1 Jersey Statutes. Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to tuition aid grants awarded in the first academic year beginning after the date of enactment. enactment. STATEMENT This bill directs the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) to increase the income protection allowance used when calculating financial eligibility of an independent adult student for a tuition aid grant to equal the income protection allowance used by the United States Department of Education when calculating eligibility for an independent adult student for a federal Pell grant. In the formulas used by the State and federal government for calculating student eligibility for tuition aid grants and Pell grants respectively, a certain amount of an independent adult student’s income is disregarded. This amount is referred to as the Income Protection Allowance (IPA). The IPA used by the State is significantly lower than the IPA used by the federal government. This bill seeks to align the IPA used by HESAA for independent adult students with that used by the United States Department of Education.
Action History
-
REF SBA
-
REP/SCA 2RS
-
INT 1RS REF SHI
Sponsors
- Joseph P. Cryan · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 119 not signed on
Sponsors (1)
- Cryan, Joseph P. Democrat
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (119)
119 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 119 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrat | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Republican | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
How each member voted (5)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Cryan, Joseph P. | Democrat | Yea |
| Moriarty, Paul D. | Democrat | Yea |
| Zwicker, Andrew | Democrat | Yea |
| Amato Jr., Carmen F. | Republican | Yea |
| Singer, Robert W. | Republican | Yea |
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What does S 3871 do?
- Higher Education Student Assistance Authority-concerns Tuition Aid Grant Prog
- Who sponsors S 3871?
- S 3871 is sponsored by Cryan, Joseph P. (Democrat).
- What is the current status of S 3871?
- This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced March 12, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
- Where can I track S 3871?
- Track S 3871 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
Make your voice heard on S 3871
Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.
Stay ahead of S 3871
Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously
One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.
Track this bill →