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2023 SESSION

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SB 1110 Higher educational institutions, public; student accounts, withholding transcripts.

Introduced by: Ghazala F. Hashmi | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE:


Public institutions of higher education; student accounts; withholding transcripts. Prohibits any public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth from conditioning the provision of an academic transcript to a current or former student on the payment of an outstanding debt to such institution if the student is requesting the transcript for the purpose of (i) applying for employment or (ii) pursuing opportunities in the Armed Forces or National Guard. The bill provides that in the event that a current or former student with an outstanding debt requests an academic transcript for any of the purposes set forth in clause (i) or (ii), the institution shall release such student's transcript directly to the employer, the prospective employer, or the applicable recruitment office. The bill also prohibits any public institution of higher education from conditioning the provision of an academic transcript to a current or former student on the repayment of an outstanding debt if (a) the outstanding debt is less than $500 or (b) the student has enrolled in a repayment plan and, as of the date of the request, has made at least three consecutive monthly payments. Finally, the bill requires each public institution of higher education to clearly and prominently indicate on any materials or webpages relating to academic transcript requests the purposes and conditions dictating the provision of an academic transcript to a current or former student with an outstanding debt.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:


Public institutions of higher education; student accounts; withholding transcripts. Prohibits any public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth from conditioning the provision of an academic transcript to a current or former student on the payment of an outstanding debt to such institution if the student is requesting the transcript for the purpose of (i) applying for employment, (ii) applying for financial aid, (iii) pursuing opportunities in the Armed Forces or National Guard, or (iv) pursuing postsecondary opportunities in career or technical job training. The bill also prohibits any public institution of higher education from conditioning the provision or release of a current or former student's academic transcript to another institution of higher education on the student's repayment of an outstanding debt, but permits such institution to provide or release a partial transcript omitting any course credits that such student attempted or completed during a semester or quarter for which the student has an outstanding debt. The bill permits any public institution of higher education to condition the provision of an academic transcript on enrollment in a repayment plan for an outstanding debt or the payment of a fee, provided that (a) any such repayment plan includes a monthly payment amount established with consideration of the current or former student's ability to pay and does not exceed 10 percent of such student's monthly income, (b) any such fee charged shall not be higher for a current or former student as a consequence of having an outstanding debt than the fee charged to any current or former student not owing a debt, and (c) no current or former student receives any other less favorable treatment as a consequence of such student having an outstanding debt. Finally, the bill requires each public institution of higher education to clearly and prominently indicate on any materials or webpages relating to academic transcript requests the purposes and conditions dictating the provision of an academic transcript to a current or former student with an outstanding debt.