STUDENT DEBT ASSISTANCE ACT Senate SponsorsSen. Laura Fine-Laura M. Murphy-Michael E. Hastings-Elgie R. Sims, Jr., Mike Simmons, Celina Villanueva, Napoleon Harris, III-Laura Ellman and Jacqueline Y. Collins House Sponsors(Rep. Bob Morgan-Carol Ammons-La Shawn K. Ford, Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, Elizabeth Hernandez, LaToya Greenwood, Sonya M. Harper, Lamont J. Robinson, Jr., Emanuel Chris Welch, Camille Y. Lilly, Lakesia Collins, Dagmara Avelar and Denyse Wang Stoneback) 5/27/2022SenatePublic Act . . . . . . . . . 102-0998 New ActCreates the Student Debt Assistance Act. Prohibits an institution of higher learning or a public or private entity that provides academic transcripts from (i) withholding academic transcripts from a current or former student because the student owes a debt to the institution, (ii) conditioning the provision of an academic transcript on the payment of a debt, other than a fee charged to provide the transcript, (iii) charging a higher fee to obtain an academic transcript or providing less favorable treatment of a request for an academic transcript because a current or former student owes a debt, or (iv) using academic transcript issuance as a tool for debt collection. Beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year, requires an institution of higher learning to make a good faith effort to offer a debt repayment plan to any student who owes a debt of $250 or more to the institution. Sets forth provisions concerning the debt repayment plan and enrollment procedures. Effective immediately.Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Creates the Student Debt Assistance Act. Prohibits an institution of higher education from refusing to provide an unofficial transcript to a current or former student on the grounds that the student owes a debt; conditioning the provision of an unofficial transcript on the payment of a debt, other than a fee charged to provide the transcript; or charging a higher fee for obtaining an unofficial transcript or providing less favorable treatment of a request for an unofficial transcript because a current or former student owes a debt. Provides that an institution of higher education (1) must provide an official transcript of a current or former student to a current or potential employer, even if the current or former student owes a debt; (2) may not condition the provision of an official transcript to a current or potential employer on the payment of a debt, other than a fee charged to provide the transcript; and (3) may not charge a higher fee for transferring an official transcript to a current or potential employer or provide less favorable treatment for such a request because a current or former student owes a debt. Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, requires every institution of higher education to have a policy instituting a financial or physical hardship withdrawal process; sets forth requirements concerning the process. Provides that if an institution of higher education chooses to send a current or former student's past due debt to a debt collection agency, the past due debt may not be reported to any credit reporting agencies or used against that student in a credit report or credit score. Effective immediately.House Floor Amendment No. 2 Provides that if an institution of higher education chooses to send a current or former student's past due debt to a debt collection agency, the past due debt may not be reported to any credit reporting agencies, except as provided by federal law (instead of may not be reported to any credit reporting agencies or used against that student in a credit report or credit score). 1/5/2022SenateFiled with Secretary by Sen. Laura Fine 1/5/2022SenateFirst Reading 1/5/2022SenateReferred to Assignments 1/11/2022SenateAssigned to Higher Education 1/19/2022SenateDo Pass Higher Education; 012-000-000 1/19/2022SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading February 1, 2022 1/19/2022SenateAdded as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Laura M. Murphy 2/7/2022SenateSenate Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Laura Fine 2/7/2022SenateSenate Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Assignments 2/8/2022SenateSenate Floor Amendment No. 1 Assignments Refers to Higher Education 2/9/2022SenateSenate Floor Amendment No. 1 Recommend Do Adopt Higher Education; 012-000-000 2/10/2022SenateSecond Reading 2/10/2022SenateSenate Floor Amendment No. 1 Adopted; Fine 2/10/2022SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading February 15, 2022 2/10/2022SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Laura Ellman 2/16/2022SenateAdded as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Michael E. Hastings 2/16/2022SenateAdded as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr. 2/16/2022SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Mike Simmons 2/16/2022SenateThird Reading - Passed; 055-000-000 2/16/2022HouseArrived in House 2/16/2022HouseChief House Sponsor Rep. Bob Morgan 2/16/2022HouseFirst Reading 2/16/2022HouseReferred to Rules Committee 3/1/2022SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Celina Villanueva 3/7/2022HouseAssigned to Higher Education Committee 3/14/2022HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz 3/16/2022HouseHouse Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Bob Morgan 3/16/2022HouseHouse Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee 3/16/2022HouseHouse Committee Amendment No. 1 Tabled Pursuant to Rule 40 3/16/2022HouseDo Pass / Short Debate Higher Education Committee; 008-002-000 3/17/2022HousePlaced on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate 3/17/2022HouseHouse Floor Amendment No. 2 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Bob Morgan 3/17/2022HouseHouse Floor Amendment No. 2 Referred to Rules Committee 3/21/2022HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez 3/22/2022HouseHouse Floor Amendment No. 2 Rules Refers to Higher Education Committee 3/22/2022HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. LaToya Greenwood 3/23/2022HouseHouse Floor Amendment No. 2 Recommends Be Adopted Higher Education Committee; 009-000-000 3/23/2022HouseAdded Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Carol Ammons 3/24/2022HouseSecond Reading - Short Debate 3/24/2022HouseHouse Floor Amendment No. 2 Adopted 3/24/2022HousePlaced on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate 3/25/2022HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Sonya M. Harper 3/25/2022HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Lamont J. Robinson, Jr. 3/28/2022HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch 3/29/2022HouseThird Reading - Short Debate - Passed 074-033-001 3/29/2022HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Camille Y. Lilly 3/29/2022SenateSecretary's Desk - Concurrence House Amendment(s) 2 3/29/2022SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of Concurrence House Amendment(s) 2 - March 30, 2022 3/29/2022HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Lakesia Collins 3/29/2022HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Dagmara Avelar 3/29/2022HouseAdded Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. La Shawn K. Ford 3/29/2022HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Denyse Wang Stoneback 4/4/2022SenateHouse Floor Amendment No. 2 Motion to Concur Filed with Secretary Sen. Laura Fine 4/4/2022SenateHouse Floor Amendment No. 2 Motion to Concur Referred to Assignments 4/4/2022SenateHouse Floor Amendment No. 2 Motion to Concur Assignments Referred to Higher Education 4/5/2022SenateHouse Floor Amendment No. 2 Motion To Concur Recommended Do Adopt Higher Education; 008-000-000 4/5/2022SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Napoleon Harris, III 4/8/2022SenateHouse Floor Amendment No. 2 Senate Concurs 049-000-000 4/8/2022SenateSenate Concurs 4/8/2022SenatePassed Both Houses 4/8/2022SenateAdded as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Laura Ellman 4/22/2022SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins 5/6/2022SenateSent to the Governor 5/27/2022SenateGovernor Approved 5/27/2022SenateEffective Date May 27, 2022 5/27/2022SenatePublic Act . . . . . . . . . 102-0998