# 119-s-5146: Higher Education Access and Success for Homeless and Foster Youth Act of 2026

119-s-5146, Higher Education Access and Success for Homeless and Foster Youth Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] (D-WA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-08-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5146
- As of: 2026-08-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-5146
- Congress: 119
- Title: Higher Education Access and Success for Homeless and Foster Youth Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-07-28
- Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] (D-WA)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Education
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-21

## Summary

**Expand college access and supports for homeless and foster youth.** This bill would amend the Higher Education Act to require colleges and federal programs to identify, recruit, and retain students who are homeless, unaccompanied, or in foster care. It would take effect July 1, 2026. - Students: Colleges would have to offer temporary access to campus housing when students face delayed vouchers, give priority for institution-owned housing to eligible youth, post liaison contact info, and allow voluntary admissions questions to connect students with supports. Public in-state colleges would be barred from charging higher resident tuition rates to homeless and foster youth, with parity phased in after the Act's effective date. - Federal programs: Federal TRIO programs and projects like Talent Search, Upward Bound, Student Support Services, and Educational Opportunity Centers would be required to conduct outreach to homeless and foster youth, remove barriers to participation, and include these youth in eligibility and retention activities. Grantees would submit concluding reports that count youth served and describe effective strategies. - Oversight and implementation: The Student Loan Ombudsman would get authority to handle independence determination complaints in consultation with child welfare and McKinney-Vento liaisons. The Education Secretary would issue guidance within 120 days and begin annual professional development for institutions within one year to support rollout.

## Provisions PRIA read

- In-state tuition for foster and homeless youth: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would add clear legal definitions for foster care youth and for homeless and unaccompanied youth. The foster care definition would count people who were age 13 or older in State or Tribal care, even if later adopted or placed with a guardian. The bill would also require public…
- Campus housing and job priority for youth: benefit, medium. If enacted, colleges that take this funding would have to name a trained liaison to help homeless, unaccompanied, and foster youth. Schools would post liaison contact information and explain how to get independence papers and other financial help. The bill would require institutions to give these s…
- Help for student aid independence disputes: benefit, medium. If enacted, the Student Loan Ombudsman would be able to receive, review, and quickly resolve complaints about independence determinations under the Higher Education Act. The Ombudsman would consult child welfare agencies, McKinney‑Vento local liaisons, and State Coordinators when handling these com…
- More outreach and reporting for youth programs: benefit, medium. If enacted, TRIO, GEAR UP, and similar HEA projects would have to identify and do outreach to homeless and foster youth. Grant applicants would need to review and change policies that block participation and describe outreach activities in applications. Projects would have to submit project-conclus…

## Related bills

- 119-s-2882: Continuing Appropriations and Extensions and Other Matters Act, 2026
- 119-s-5022: Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act
- 119-s-5283: Momnibus Act
- 119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026
- 119-s-2823: FAMILY Act
- 119-s-2763: Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act

## Sources
- [119-s-5146 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5146)

## Related
- [119-s-2882: Continuing Appropriations and Extensions and Other Matters Act, 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2882)
- [119-s-5022: Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5022)
- [119-s-5283: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5283)
- [119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3990)
- [119-s-2823: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2823)
- [119-s-2763: Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2763)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5146 (as of 2026-08-21).