An act to amend Section 69513.2 of the Education Code, relating to student financial aid.
Summary
AB 313 expands the California Student Aid Commission’s authority to extend student financial aid application deadlines by up to 30 additional days when students are affected by certain qualifying events. Existing law already allowed deadline postponements for formal requests tied to events such as natural disasters or declared emergencies, and for some emergency situations without a formal request. This bill adds a new basis for an automatic extension when the commission determines that the opening of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) was delayed.
The bill applies to state financial aid programs administered by the commission, including Cal Grant entitlement and competitive awards, California Community College transfer grants, and the Middle Class Scholarship Program, as well as other state-funded aid programs under the same part of the Education Code. It also preserves the existing framework for requesting extensions, including deadlines for submitting requests, notice requirements, website posting, and annual reporting to the Legislature and the commission. The bill was chaptered as Chapter 31, Statutes of 2025, and takes effect through amendment of Education Code Section 69513.2.
Impact
AB 313 amends Education Code Section 69513.2 to broaden the circumstances under which the Student Aid Commission may postpone financial aid deadlines, specifically adding FAFSA opening delays as a qualifying event. The measure affects the administration of Cal Grant and Middle Class Scholarship deadlines and any other state-funded financial aid programs governed by that section, while leaving the commission’s notice, reporting, and geographic applicability rules in place. It does not create a new program or appropriation, but it changes how existing aid deadlines may be adjusted for affected students and institutions.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong bipartisan support and no recorded opposition in committee or on the floor. The bill passed every listed vote unanimously or by consent calendar, suggesting broad agreement that students should have additional time to apply for aid when federal FAFSA timing problems or other disruptions interfere with access. No committee transcript excerpts were provided, so the record reflects procedural support rather than detailed debate.
Contention
No major contention is evident in the provided materials. The main policy choice in the bill is whether to give the commission discretion to extend deadlines automatically when FAFSA openings are delayed, rather than requiring a formal request from a district or campus. Any potential concerns would likely center on administrative discretion, consistency in applying extensions across regions, and the effect of deadline changes on aid processing timelines, but the votes indicate these issues did not produce visible opposition in the legislative record provided.
Georgia Student Finance Authority; establish a needs based financial aid program to award grants to eligible students who have not yet received their financial aid award