--- title: "Bill to Expand 529 Savings Accounts Reintroduced in Senate, House" id: "55475" type: "post" slug: "bill-to-expand-529-savings-accounts-reintroduced-in-senate-house" published_at: "2023-03-17T16:27:13+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-17T16:11:16+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2023/03/17/bill-to-expand-529-savings-accounts-reintroduced-in-senate-house/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2023/03/17/bill-to-expand-529-savings-accounts-reintroduced-in-senate-house.md" excerpt: "The bipartisan legislation, long supported by ASAE, would allow workers to use 529 education savings accounts to pay for voluntary professional certifications and credentials offered by associations." taxonomy_category: - "Career Development" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "Career Development" - "education savings" - "skills tracking" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "Executive Team" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Bill to Expand 529 Savings Accounts Reintroduced in Senate, House Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Braun (R-IN) and Reps. Rob Wittman (R-VA) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) this week reintroduced the *Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act,* bipartisan legislation to allow Americans to use ‘529’ education savings accounts for skills training, credentialing, and certification programs. Current law only permits workers and families to use 529 accounts to pay for college, university, and vocational school expenses, but ASAE and the Professional Certification Coalition have long championed the *Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act*as a way for workers to pay for voluntary professional certifications and credentials offered by associations. “Certifications and other postsecondary credentials are pathways to employment and to career growth across fields, from entry-level service jobs to mid-career job changes to leadership positions in professions that require highly specialized knowledge,” said Mary Kate Cunningham, CAE, ASAE’s senior vice president of public policy, [when the bill was originally introduced](https://associationsnow.com/2019/12/new-bill-would-expand-529-savings-accounts-to-cover-professional-certification/) . “Skills training and development programs help provide people with the tools and resources they need to succeed in our economy,” Klobuchar [said in a press release (opens in a new tab)](https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2023/3/klobuchar-braun-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-help-americans-save-and-pay-for-skills-training-and-credentialing-programs) . “By allowing workers to use their ‘529’ educational savings to pay for additional training and certification, our bipartisan legislation will enable more Americans to access and benefit from these valuable programs.” Every high school student in America needs to know that you don’t necessarily have to go to college to have a great career,” Braun said in a press release. “By expanding opportunities and access to skills training programs, and letting Americans use their ‘529’ education savings to pay for it, we can address the nationwide skills shortage and fill American jobs.” The Senate bill is cosponsored by Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Susan Collins (R-ME), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Peter Welch (D-VT) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL). (anilakkus/iStock/Getty Images) [Chris Vest, CAE](https://associationsnow.com/author/chris-vest-cae/) Chris Vest, CAE, is director of public policy at ASAE. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/chris-vest-cae/) Tags: [#Business](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business/) [#Career Development](https://associationsnow.com/tag/career-development/) [#education savings](https://associationsnow.com/tag/education-savings/) [#skills tracking](https://associationsnow.com/tag/skills-tracking/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoChristine Diedrich Shares Her CAE JourneyApril 25, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/04/25/christine-diedrich-shares-her-cae-journey/) - [VideoASAE’s The ExchangeApril 24, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/04/24/asaes-the-exchange/) - [PodcastBridging the Gap: Career Development in AssociationsApril 24, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/04/24/bridging-the-gap-career-development-in-associations/) - [Video🚀 The Agile Association Professional: How to Pivot Your Career Path When the Strategic Plan ShiftsJuly 28, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/07/28/the-agile-association-professional-how-to-pivot-your-career-path-when-the-strategic-plan-shifts/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2023%2F03%2F17%2Fbill-to-expand-529-savings-accounts-reintroduced-in-senate-house%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !