Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

2023 -- S 0766
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     LC002268
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                       S TATE              OF         RHODE               IS L A N D
                                          IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
                                       JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
                                             ____________
                                                A N     A CT
         RELATING TO EDUCATION – COUNCIL ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION
                Introduced By: Senators Cano, Acosta, Britto, DiPalma, Mack, Burke, Murray, Pearson,
                                Quezada, and McKenney
                Date Introduced: March 23, 2023
                Referred To: Senate Education
     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1            SECTION 1. Chapter 16-59 of the General Laws entitled "Council on Postsecondary
2    Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby
3    amended by adding thereto the following section:
4            16-59-29. Student access to academic transcripts.
5            (a) Institutions of higher education shall not withhold a student’s academic transcripts
6    solely due to that student’s failure to pay any loan payments, fines, fees, tuition, or other expenses
7    owed to the institution, except that a student’s academic credits and grades may be withheld for
8    any course for which that student’s tuition and mandatory course fees are not paid in full. For
9    students paying on a per-semester basis, such an institution may withhold a student’s academic
10   credits or grades for any course taken in a semester for which that student’s tuition and mandatory
11   course fees have not been paid.
12           (b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent an institution of higher education
13   from withholding a student’s diploma or degree due to that student’s failure to pay any loan
14   payments, fines, fees, tuition, or other expenses owed to the institution.
15           (c) The council shall promulgate rules and regulations consistent with this section.
16           SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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     LC002268
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                                           EXPLANATION
                                 BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
                                                   OF
                                             A N    A CT
        RELATING TO EDUCATION – COUNCIL ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION
                                                   ***
1           This act would prohibit colleges and universities from withholding a student’s transcript
2   due to the student failing to pay any expenses owed to the college or university. The college or
3   university may withhold a student’s academic credits and grades as well as diploma or degree for
4   failure to pay.
5           This act would take effect upon passage.
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    LC002268
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