Mass. panel hears bill to bar withholding transcripts for fully paid coursework
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Summary
Representative LaBeouf and student‑support advocates testified that colleges should not withhold transcripts for credits a student has already paid for; the bill would prohibit withholding a transcript for semesters that are fully settled while allowing withholding for unpaid coursework.
Representative LaBeouf told the Joint Committee on Higher Education that H.1449 would stop colleges and universities from withholding students' academic transcripts for semesters the student has fully paid, even when other balances remain.
“The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has made clear that withholding transcripts as a debt collection tactic is a predatory and unlawful practice,” LaBeouf said, citing a 2022 CFPB advisory. LaBeouf said roughly 6,000,000 students nationwide are unable to obtain transcripts because of unpaid balances that can be as small as $25 and that the practice often blocks transfers and degree completion.
LaBeouf explained the bill’s core rule: institutions may not withhold a transcript for credits already earned and fully paid; institutions may still withhold credit for unpaid coursework. “Students should never lose access to proof of their own achievement,” LaBeouf said.
Femi Stoltz, state policy director at uAspire, testified in support and described client cases in which students could not transfer because prior schools withheld records; she said withholding inhibits a student’s ability to resolve debts and harms workforce participation.
LaBeouf noted recent federal action: a U.S. Department of Education rule in July 2024 prohibits withholding transcripts for students who received Title IV federal financial aid, but the rule covers only about 55% of students and is vulnerable to change. She and advocates urged the committee to adopt a state law to ensure universal protections.
Committee members asked about handling small fees like parking or graduation fines and about mechanisms for recouping disputed charges. The testimony flagged alternatives such as income‑based or on‑campus work programs and suggested the state could adopt a balanced approach that preserves institutions’ ability to collect unpaid tuition while removing transcript withholding for paid semesters.
No committee vote was recorded; the measure was discussed and supporters provided written testimony.