PUBLIC LAW 105-244 —OCT. 7, 1998 112 STAT. 1733 to the effective date described in paragraph (1). The Secretary may specify in the designation when, and under what conditions, an entity may implement the provision prior to that effective date. The Secretary shall publish any designation under this subpara- Federal Register, graph in the Federal Register. publication. "(B) If an entity chooses to implement a regulatory provision prior to the effective date described in paragraph (1), as permitted by subparagraph (A), the provision shall be effective with respect to that entity in accordsince with the terms of the Secretary designation. ". SEC. 482. FORMS AND REGULATIONS. (a) COMMON FINANCIAL AID FORM DEVELOPMENT.— Section 483(a) (20 U.S.C. 1090(a)) is amended— (1) in the subsection heading, by striking "FORM" and inserting "FORM DEVELOPMENT"; (2) in paragraph (1)— (A) by striking "A, C, D, and E" and inserting "A through E"; (B) by striking "and to determine the need of a student for the purpose of part B of this title"; (C) by striking the second sentence and inserting the following: "The Secretary shall include on the form developed under this subsection such data items as the Secretary determines are appropriate for inclusion. Such items shall be selected in consultation with States to assist in the awarding of State financial assistance. In no case shall the number of such data items be less than the number included on the form on the date of enactment of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998."; and (D) by striking the last sentence; (3) in paragraph (2)— (A) by striking "A, C, D, and E" each place the term appears and inserting "A through E"; (B) by striking "and the need of a student for the purpose of part B of this title,"; and (C) by striking "or have the student's need established for the purpose of part B of this title"; (4) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows: "(3) DISTRIBUTION OF DATA. —Institutions of higher education, guaranty agencies, and States shall receive, without charge, the data collected by the Secretary using the form developed pursuant to this section for the purposes of processing loan applications and determining need and eligibility for institutional and State financial aid awards. Entities designated by institutions of higher education, guaranty agencies, or States to receive such data shall be subject to all the requirements of this section, unless such requirements are waived by the Secretary."; (5) by adding at the end the following: "(5) ELECTRONIC FORMS.— (A) The Secretary, in cooperation with representatives of agencies and organizations involved in student financial assistance, including private computer software providers, shall develop an electronic version of the form described in paragraph (1). As permitted by the Secretary, such an electronic version shall not require a signature to be collected at the time such version is submitted, if a signature
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