12 2 STA T .3 2 7 3 PUBLIC LA W 11 0– 31 5— AU G .1 4, 200 8includeaSt ate ’s data i f t h at State d o es not p e rm it the State’s resident applicants to use the EZFA FSA for State assistance .‘ ‘ ( i v) F RE E AV A IL A B ILI TY A NDP R OC E S SIN G . —T he provisions of para g raph ( 6 ) shall appl y to the EZ FAFSA , and the data collected b y means of the EZ FAFSA shall be available to institutions of higher edu - cation, guaranty agencies, and States in accordance w ith paragraph ( 10 ). ‘‘( C ) P RO M OTING T H E U SEO F ELECTRONIC FAFSA.— ‘‘(i) I N GENERAL.—The Secretary shall ma k e all efforts to encourage all applicants to utili z e the elec- tronic version of the forms described in paragraph ( 3 ). ‘‘(ii) M AINTENANCE OF THE FAFSA IN A PRINTABLE ELECTRONIC FILE.—The Secretary shall maintain a version of the paper forms described in subparagraphs (A) and ( B ) in a printable electronic file that is easily portable, accessible, and downloadable to students on the same website used to provide students with the electronic version of the forms described in paragraph (3). ‘‘(iii) R E Q UESTS FOR PRINTED COPY.—The Secretary shall provide a printed copy of the full paper version of FAFSA upon re q uest. ‘‘(iv) REPORTING REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary shall maintain data, and periodically report to Con- gress, on the impact of the digital divide on students completing applications for aid under this title. The Secretary shall report on the steps taken to eliminate the digital divide and reduce production of the paper form described in subparagraph (A). The Secretary’s report shall specifically address the impact of the dig- ital divide on the following student populations
‘‘(I) Independent students. ‘‘(II) Traditionally underrepresented students. ‘‘(III) D ependent students. ‘‘(3) ELECTRONIC FORMAT.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall produce, dis- tribute, and process forms in electronic format to meet the requirements of paragraph (1). The Secretary shall develop an electronic version of the forms for applicants who do not meet the requirements of subsection (b) or (c) of section 479 . ‘‘(B) SIMPLIFIED APPLICATIONS: FAFSA ON THE W EB.— ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall develop and use a simplified electronic version of the form to be used by applicants meeting the requirements under subsection (b) or (c) of section 479. ‘‘(ii) REDUCED DATA REQUIREMENTS.—The sim- plified electronic version of the forms shall permit an applicant to submit, for financial assistance purposes, only the data elements required to make a determina- tion of whether the applicant meets the requirements under subsection (b) or (c) of section 479. ‘‘(iii) U SE OF FORMS.— N othing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the use of the forms Ap p licab ili ty.
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