SENATE DOCKET, NO. 958        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 667

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Harriette L. Chandler

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act ensuring students' access to academic transcripts.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Harriette L. Chandler

First Worcester

 

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

1/25/2017

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

1/25/2017

Barbara A. L'Italien

Second Essex and Middlesex

1/31/2017

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

2/2/2017

Paul R. Heroux

2nd Bristol

2/3/2017

Eileen M. Donoghue

First Middlesex

2/3/2017

John W. Scibak

2nd Hampshire

2/3/2017

Eric P. Lesser

First Hampden and Hampshire

2/3/2017

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

2/7/2017


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 958        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 667

By Ms. Chandler, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 667) of Harriette L. Chandler, Marjorie C. Decker, Jason M. Lewis, Barbara A. L'Italien and other members of the General Court for legislation to ensure students' access to academic transcripts.  Higher Education.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act ensuring students' access to academic transcripts.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 15A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 19E the following section:-

Section 19F.

(a) Institutions of higher education shall not withhold a student's academic transcripts solely due to that student's failure to pay any loan payments, fines, fees, tuition, or other expenses owed to the institution, except that a student's academic credits and grades may be withheld for any course for which that student's tuition and mandatory course fees are not paid in full. For students paying on a per semester basis, such an institution may withhold a student’s academic credits or grades for any course taken in a semester for which that student’s tuition and mandatory course fees have not been paid.

(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent an institution of higher education from withholding a student's diploma or degree due to that student's failure to pay any loan payments, fines, fees, tuition, or other expenses owed to the institution.

(c) This section shall apply to all postsecondary institutions including: (i) the system of public institutions of higher education, established in section 5; (ii) private occupational schools, as defined in section 263 of chapter 112; and (iii) private colleges, universities and other institutions of higher learning.

(d)The department of higher education shall promulgate regulations consistent with this section.