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Committee advances bill to give students control over their education records; questions remain on implementation

Services standing committee · February 23, 2026

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Summary

Senate Bill 296 would codify that students (or parents of minors) control access to education records and require informed consent before third‑party sharing; the committee passed the bill 4–1 while senators asked about FERPA compatibility, chain of custody and authentication methods.

A bill sponsor told the committee that Senate Bill 296 treats education data as the property of the student and requires informed consent before educational records are accessed or shared with third parties. "This bill suggests is that the education data is the property of the student," the sponsor said, summarizing the bill’s core purpose.

The sponsor said the measure aligns with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and does not conflict with federal protections; rather, the bill seeks to make it easier for students to access and manage their records. "FERPA is the floor... We're giving the students the ability to share these records," the sponsor said.

Committee members raised practical questions about implementation. Senator Johnson asked about chain of custody and authentication methods, suggesting secure digital signatures or a portal that allows students to withdraw consent. The sponsor responded that the bill anticipates secure electronic mechanisms but that the specific technical design remains to be worked out.

Senator Kwan and others said the clarification is important but requested more follow-up on how institutions will operationalize consent, withdrawal, and the authenticity of shared records. The committee moved the bill out to the full Senate with a favorable recommendation, recorded in the transcript as a 4–1 vote.