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A1946Assembly2017-2018 Session

Stop Transcript Withholding

Official title

“Prohibits secondary schools and colleges from withholding student transcripts for failure to pay tuition”

Sponsor Luis R. SepúlvedaAD-87+13 co-sponsorsAffects Education
Status
Stricken
Impact
6/10
Moderate
Passage
0%

Bill progress

Step 2 of 7

In committee · Higher Education

What's happening

This bill prohibits schools and colleges in New York from withholding student transcripts due to unpaid tuition, with fines for violations.

Why it matters

  1. Ensures academic mobility. By guaranteeing access to transcripts regardless of unpaid tuition, the bill allows students to transfer schools, apply for jobs, or pursue further education without being blocked by financial holds, which can be crucial for their future opportunities.

  2. Reduces financial leverage over students. Schools and colleges will no longer be able to use transcript withholding as a tool to pressure students into paying debts, shifting the balance of power and potentially encouraging institutions to find alternative debt collection methods.

  3. Introduces financial penalties for noncompliance. The $500 fine per violation creates a tangible deterrent for institutions, emphasizing the seriousness of student rights and likely prompting administrative changes to ensure compliance.

  4. Applies to both public and private institutions. By covering a wide range of educational entities (elementary, secondary, and colleges, both public and private), the bill broadens protections for students at nearly every level of education in New York State.

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Who cares

Headline styles

Stop Transcript Withholding

Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Luis R. Sepúlveda

Assembly Member · Assembly District 87

1 Multi-sponsor

History

  1. Enacting clause stricken
  2. Referred to higher education
  3. Referred to higher education

Full text

1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗

STATE OF NEW YORK

1946

2017-2018 Regular Sessions

IN ASSEMBLY

January 17, 2017

Introduced by M. of A. SEPULVEDA, SOLAGES, COLTON, GUNTHER, SIMON, MOSLEY, GOTTFRIED, BLAKE, JAFFEE, HOOPER, RICHARDSON, COOK, STECK, PALUMBO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BARRON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to prohibiting secondary schools and colleges from withholding student transcripts for failure to pay tuition

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new article 2-A to read as follows:

ARTICLE 2-A

PROHIBITION AGAINST WITHHOLDING STUDENT TRANSCRIPTS Section 20. Prohibition against withholding student transcripts.

§ 20. Prohibition against withholding student transcripts. 1. No public or private elementary or secondary school or college as defined in section two of this chapter shall withhold a student's transcript for failure to pay past or presently due tuition.

2. Willful failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall be punishable by a fine of five hundred dollars per violation.

§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD07298-01-7

Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.