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S3834Senate2017-2018 SessionSame asA3482

Ban Sale of Student Papers

Official title

“Relates to the unlawful sale of dissertations, theses and term papers”

Sponsor Kenneth P. LaValleSD-1+2 co-sponsorsAffects Education
Status
In Assembly Committee
Higher Education
Impact
3/10
Low
Passage
0%

Bill progress

Step 5 of 7

In Assembly · Higher Education

What's happening

This bill expands the ban on selling academic papers for students to include materials delivered through electronic media.

Why it matters

  1. Closes loopholes on academic cheating services. By explicitly including materials delivered through electronic media, the bill addresses the rise of online paper mills, making it harder for students to purchase academic work digitally and for businesses to exploit outdated legal definitions.

  2. Modernizes academic integrity laws. The amendment updates language from only “written” materials to cover any format, ensuring laws keep pace with how students now access and submit assignments, especially as education increasingly relies on digital platforms.

  3. Potentially impacts online businesses and enforcement. Companies or individuals offering services to write assignments for students online could face legal consequences in New York, which may deter the proliferation of such services and strengthen institutional efforts to uphold academic standards.

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Who cares

Headline styles

Ban Sale of Student Papers

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

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Kenneth P. LaValle

Senator · Senate District 1

Chair, Higher Education

History

  1. Referred to higher education
  2. Delivered to assembly
  3. Passed senateVote 59–0
  4. Advanced to third reading
  5. 2nd report cal.
  6. 1st report cal.239
  7. Referred to higher education
  8. Returned to senate
  9. Died in assembly
  10. Referred to higher education
  11. Delivered to assembly
  12. Passed senateVote 63–0
Show 4 earlier actions
  1. Advanced to third reading
  2. 2nd report cal.
  3. 1st report cal.731
  4. Referred to higher 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.

A3482Assembly

Ban Sale of Student Papers

In Assembly Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Robin Schimminger

Impact 3 · Low0% to pass

Full text

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

STATE OF NEW YORK

S. 3834 A. 3482

2017-2018 Regular Sessions

SENATE - ASSEMBLY

January 27, 2017

IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sens. LAVALLE, LARKIN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education

IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. SCHIMMINGER, JAFFEE, HOOPER, GALEF, ZEBROWSKI -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, LIFTON -read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to the unlawful sale of dissertations, theses and term papers

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

Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 213-b of the education law, as added by chapter 307 of the laws of 1981, is amended to read as follows:

1. No person shall, for financial consideration, or the promise of financial consideration, prepare, offer to prepare, cause to be prepared, sell or offer for sale to any person any [written] material either written or provided through electronic media which the seller knows, is informed or has reason to believe is intended for submission as a dissertation, thesis, term paper, essay, report or other [written] assignment by a student in a university, college, academy, school or other educational institution to such institution or to a course, seminar or degree program held by such institution.

§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD07984-01-7

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

Sponsor's memo

Title of bill

An act to amend the education law, in relation to the unlawful sale of dissertations, theses and term papers

Purpose

To extend the current prohibition against the sale of dissertations and term papers to papers provided through electronic media such as the Internet.

Summary of provisions

Amends Section 213b of the Education Law to add the phrase "either written or provided through electronic media" to prohibition against the sale or purchase of dissertations, theses, term papers, essays, reports or other educational assignments.

Existing law

Extends the prohibition against the sale or purchase of term papers and these to documents provided for sale or purchase through electronic media such as the Internet. Students would still be able to access research information through this media but sale or purchase of a term paper, theses or dissertation would constitute a violation punishable, as in current law, by a fine of up to $1,000.

Justification

Current new York State law bans the sale or purchase of dissertations and term papers but does not specifically indicate that papers obtained over the Internet or other electronic media would also be covered under the ban. This legislation would remove this ambiguity and would assure that students or others providing such unlawful assistance would eligible for prosecution.

Legislative history

1998 S.6358; 1999-00 S.1971; 2002 S.2353; 2003-04 S.298; 2005-06 S.1148; 2007-08 S.1527; 2009 S.2730; 2011-12 S.1940; 2013-14 S.2405/A.2612; 2015-16 S.2810/A.4043.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

Immediately.

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