Relating to student access to certain academic records held by a public institution of higher education or career school or college; authorizing fees.
Summary
HB 2490 would limit when public institutions of higher education and career schools or colleges may withhold a student’s transcript, diploma, or certificate of completion because of unpaid balances. Under the bill, schools could not withhold these records if the student’s outstanding financial obligation is less than $500 or if the debt has been outstanding for more than five years. The bill applies to both current and former students.
For larger, more recent debts, the bill allows an institution to require the student to enter into a repayment plan before releasing the record. Once the student begins making payments under that plan, the institution must release the transcript or diploma. The bill also permits schools to charge a fee for issuing the record, but only up to the actual cost of printing, mailing, or electronically sending it.
Impact
The bill would amend the Education Code by adding a new section for public institutions of higher education and revising the existing provision governing career schools and colleges. It would create a statewide limit on transcript and diploma withholding practices tied to student debt, reducing institutions’ leverage to collect small or long-dormant balances. It also standardizes a narrow fee authority for record release and requires schools to accept repayment plans for debts of $500 or more.
Sentiment
Based on the bill’s caption and the absence of recorded opposition in the provided materials, the measure appears to be framed as a student-access and consumer-protection bill rather than a punitive debt-collection measure. The policy direction suggests support for helping students and former students obtain credentials needed for employment, transfer, or further education. No committee transcript or vote record was provided, so there is no documented debate in the supplied materials.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the balance between student access to records and institutional authority to collect unpaid balances. Supporters would likely emphasize fairness, workforce mobility, and the disproportionate harm caused by withholding transcripts for small or old debts. Institutions may be concerned that limiting holds to debts of $500 or more and debts less than five years old could weaken collection efforts and reduce leverage to recover unpaid charges. The repayment-plan requirement for larger debts is a compromise, but it still shifts the timing and conditions under which schools may retain records.
Identical
Relating to student access to certain academic records held by a public institution of higher education or career school or college; authorizing fees.
Relating to tuition and fee exemptions at a public institution of higher education or a career school or college for a student meeting certain income and grade requirements.
Relating to the creation of the My Texas Future portal and a requirement to submit academic information through that portal to determine acceptance for admission at a public institution of higher education as a condition of high school graduation for public school students.
Prohibits institutions of higher education and certain proprietary institutions from withholding transcript due to outstanding student account balance; establishes penalties for noncompliance.