What's happening
This bill prohibits New York colleges from inquiring about or determining students' detailed immigration status except as required by law or for tuition and financial aid purposes.
Why it matters
Protects student privacy. by preventing colleges from collecting or scrutinizing detailed immigration information beyond what is strictly necessary, reducing the risk of sensitive data being misused or shared.
Creates a more inclusive environment. for undocumented, refugee, and immigrant students, who may otherwise avoid higher education out of fear that their status could be disclosed or lead to discrimination.
Standardizes institutional practices. by requiring the Board of Regents to set clear rules for all New York colleges, ensuring consistent protections statewide and minimizing arbitrary or invasive questioning across campuses.
Limits profiling and discrimination. based on national origin or specific immigration categories, as schools cannot ask about lawful status, refugee status, or country-specific backgrounds except as required by law, court order, or for tuition/aid eligibility.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Protect Student Immigration Privacy
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 25
8 Co-sponsors
2 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to higher education
- Reference changed to higher education
- Referred to education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Protect Student Immigration Privacy
In Senate Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Toby Ann Stavisky
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6588
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 9, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ROZIC -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to immigration status of registered students
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 section 224-b to read as follows:
§ 224-b. Immigration status of registered students. 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no employee or officer of the university shall determine the specific details of a student's immigration status except when required by federal law, pursuant to a court order or as required in connection with tuition or financial aid eligibility.
2. The board of regents shall promulgate standards for all colleges and universities within the system to ensure that a student shall not be asked any questions on immigration status other than any required determination as required by subdivision one of this section that the student is an immigrant. In no case shall a student be required to provide any information on a student's lawful immigration status, status as a refugee, or status as an immigrant from any specific nation.
§ 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6204-b to read as follows:
§ 6204-b. Immigration status of registered students. 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no employee or officer of the university shall determine the specific details of a student's immigration status except when required by federal law, pursuant to a court order or as required in connection with tuition or financial aid eligibility.
2. The board of regents shall promulgate standards for all colleges and universities within the system to ensure that a student shall not be
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09673-01-7
A. 6588 2
asked any questions on immigration status other than any required determination as required by subdivision one of this section that the student is an immigrant. In no case shall a student be required to provide any information on a student's lawful immigration status, status as a refugee, or status as an immigrant from any specific nation.
§ 3. Severability. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part of this act shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid and after exhaustion of all further judicial review the judgment shall not be deemed to affect, impair or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part of this act directly involved in the controversy in which the judgement shall have been rendered.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
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.