102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB4095
 
Introduced 5/26/2021, by Rep. Aaron M. Ortiz
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 

 
New Act

     Creates the Education Debt Collection Practices Act. For the purpose of debt collection, provides that an institution of higher education (including an institution to which the Private Business and Vocational Schools Act of 2012 applies and a person engaged in the business of providing postsecondary education to a person located in this State, regardless of whether the person has obtained authorization from the Board of Higher Education to operate in this State or is accredited) may not (i) refuse to provide an official transcript on the grounds that a current or former student owes a debt to the institution, (ii) condition the provision of an official transcript on the payment of a debt, other than a fee charged to provide the official transcript, (iii) charge a higher fee for obtaining an official transcript or provide less than favorable treatment of a request for an official transcript because a current or former student owes a debt, or (iv) use the issuance of an official transcript as a tool for debt collection. Effective immediately.
  


LRB102 18111 CMG 27043 b

 
 
A BILL FOR
 

  
HB4095LRB102 18111 CMG 27043 b


  
1    AN ACT concerning education.
  
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
3represented in the General Assembly:
  


 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 
5Education Debt Collection Practices Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definitions.   As used in this Act:
7       "Institution of higher education" includes, but is not 
8limited to, institutions to which the Private Business and 
9Vocational Schools Act of 2012 or the Private College Act 
10applies and public institutions of higher education as defined 
11in the Board of Higher Education Act. "Institution
of higher 
12education" also includes a person engaged in the business of 
13providing postsecondary education, via correspondence or 
14online or in this State, to a person located in this State, 
15regardless of whether the person has obtained authorization 
16from the Board of Higher Education to
operate in this State or 
17is accredited.
18    "Official transcript" means the academic transcript or a 
19similar academic record of each current or former student of 
20an institution of higher education that is deemed official, 
21authenticated, certified, or bona fide and that contains 
22information customarily provided on an official academic 
23transcript, including, but not limited to, courses taken, 
 
 
HB4095- 2 -LRB102 18111 CMG 27043 b

1terms, grades, degrees or credentials conferred, and any other 
2similar information.
 
3    Section 10. Education debt collection practices.  For the 
4purposes of debt collection, an institution of higher 
5education may not:
6        (1) refuse to provide an official transcript on the 
7    grounds that a current or former student owes a debt to the 
8    institution;
9        (2) condition the provision of an official transcript 
10    on the payment of a debt, other than a fee charged to 
11    provide the official transcript;
12        (3) charge a higher fee for obtaining an official 
13    transcript or provide less than favorable treatment of a 
14    request for an official transcript because a current or 
15    former student owes a debt; or
16        (4) use the issuance of an official transcript as a 
17    tool for debt collection.
 

18    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
19becoming law.