SIMPLIFIED NEEDS TEST AND AUTOMATIC ZERO IMPROVEMENTS.

SEC. 602. SIMPLIFIED NEEDS TEST AND AUTOMATIC ZERO IMPROVEMENTS.(a) Simplified Needs Test.—Section 479 (20 U.S.C. 1087ss) is amended—(1) in subsection (b)—(A) in paragraph (1)(A)(i)—(i) in subclause (II), by striking “or” after the semicolon;(ii) by redesignating subclause (III) as subclause (IV);(iii) by inserting after subclause (II) the following:“(III) 1 of whom is a dislocated worker; or”; and(iv) in subclause (IV) (as redesignated by clause (ii)), by striking “12-month” and inserting “24-month”; and(B) in paragraph (1)(B)(i)—(i) in subclause (II), by striking “or” after the semicolon;(ii) by redesignating subclause (III) as subclause (IV);(iii) by inserting after subclause (II) the following:“(III) 1 of whom is a dislocated worker; or”; and(iv) in subclause (IV) (as redesignated by clause (ii)), by striking “12-month” and inserting “24-month”;121 STAT. 805(2) in subsection (c)—(A) in paragraph (1)—(i) in subparagraph (A)—(I) in clause (ii), by striking “or” after the semicolon;(II) by redesignating clause (iii) as clause (iv);(III) by inserting after clause (ii) the following:“(iii) 1 of whom is a dislocated worker; or”; and(IV) in clause (iv) (as redesignated by subclause (II)), by striking “12-month” and inserting “24-month”; and(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking “$20,000” and inserting “$30,000”; and(B) in paragraph (2)—(i) in subparagraph (A)—(I) in clause (ii), by striking “or” after the semicolon;(II) by redesignating clause (iii) as clause (iv);(III) by inserting after clause (ii) the following:“(iii) 1 of whom is a dislocated worker; or”; and(IV) in clause (iv) (as redesignated by subclause (II)), by striking “12-month” and inserting “24-month”; and(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking “$20,000” and inserting “$30,000”; and(C) in the flush matter following paragraph (2)(B), by adding at the end the following: “The Secretary shall annually adjust the income level necessary to qualify an applicant for the zero expected family contribution. The income level shall be adjusted according to increases in the Consumer Price Index, as defined in section 478(f).”; and(3) in subsection (d)—(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (6) as subparagraphs (A) through (F), respectively and moving the margins of such subparagraphs 2 ems to the right; and(B) by striking “(d) Definition” and all that follows through “the term” and inserting the following:“(d) Definitions.—In this section:“(1) Dislocated worker.—The term ‘dislocated worker’ has the meaning given the term in section 101 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801).“(2) Means-tested federal benefit program.—The term”.(b) Effective Date.—The amendments made by this section shall be effective on July 1, 2009.