What's happening
This bill requires higher education institutions in New York to provide clear written notice to students about tuition liability policies and exceptions.
Why it matters
Empowers students to make informed financial decisions. by ensuring they receive clear, written explanations of when and how they might still owe tuition, including details on exceptions (such as withdrawals or special circumstances).
Requires both digital and paper notifications. , increasing the likelihood students actually see and understand the policy, and mandates that students actively acknowledge receipt and understanding—potentially reducing future disputes.
Mandates ongoing reminders throughout the academic year. , helping students stay aware of their financial obligations as circumstances change, such as adding/dropping classes or facing unexpected events.
Could increase institutional transparency and accountability. by standardizing how tuition liability is communicated across all types of higher education institutions in New York.
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Who cares
Colleges, universities, professional, proprietary and graduate schools
They would have to provide clear written tuition liability notices in both hard copy and electronic form, plus additional notices throughout the academic year.
Students
They would receive notice of tuition liability policies and have to acknowledge both receipt and understanding of the policy.
Students seeking tuition liability exceptions
Required notices would explain the institution’s exception policies and the process for requesting an exception.
Headline styles
Require Tuition Policy Notices
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.392
- Substituted for A705
- Referred to higher education
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 58–0
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.307
- Referred to higher education
- Returned to senate
Show 8 earlier actions
- Died in assembly
- Referred to higher education
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–0
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.221
- 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.
Require Tuition Policy Notice
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Sarah Clark
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
78
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sens. LIU, ADDABBO, JACKSON, WEBB -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring colleges, universities, professional, proprietary, and graduate schools to provide a notice of tuition liability policies
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 212-d to read as follows:
§ 212-d. Notice of tuition liability policies. 1. All colleges, universities, professional, proprietary and graduate schools shall provide written notice to all students of the institution's tuition liability policy. Such notice shall be provided in clear and conspicuous language and include notice of policies related to exceptions of tuition liability and process for requesting any such exception.
2. Notice shall be provided to the student in both hard copy and electronic form, and the student shall acknowledge understanding of the policy as well as receipt of notice. All colleges, universities, professional, proprietary and graduate schools shall provide additional notices to all students of the tuition liability policy and its exceptions throughout the academic year.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00534-01-5
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 requiring colleges, universities, professional, proprietary, and graduate schools to provide a notice of tuition liability policies
Purpose of bill
To ensure students at any level of higher education are aware of their institution's withdrawal policy, the impact that withdrawal has on tuition owed, and any processes and policy which may exempt students from tuition owed after withdrawal.
Summary of specific provisions
This bill requires all institutions of higher education to provide writ- ten notice of their tuition liability policy to students. The notice must be in both electronic and hard copy, sent multiple times during the academic year, and the student must acknowledge understanding and receipt of the policy and its exceptions.
Justification
It is very common for students in higher education to leave school for a multitude of reasons related to health, personal hardship, or family circumstances. Institutions of higher education will oftentimes have tuition liability policies that require students to withdraw from school by a specific date or otherwise be financially liable for full tuition costs. Institutions may also have policies to waive this liability where circumstances are beyond the student's control; however, many students are not aware of these policies and waivers, leaving students with substantial tuition bills that they later cannot afford to pay and oftentimes default on payments. This legislation seeks to provide students with greater notice of tuition liability policies in order to ensure that students are aware of all deadlines and waiver processes to prevent students from defaulting on their student loans. Students should have consistent notice of their institution's tuition liability policy and have knowledge of the process for utilizing the policy's exemptions when hardships arise. Such exemptions, when utilized, may protect students from full tuition liability.
Legislative history
03/21/24 PASSED SENATE, REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
05/16/23 PASSED SENATE, REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
05/04/22 REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:; This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.