I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2782 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide students with disabil-
ities and their families with access to critical information needed to 
select the right college and succeed once enrolled. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 6, 2017 
Ms. BONAMICI (for herself and Mr. BUCSHON) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide 
students with disabilities and their families with access 
to critical information needed to select the right college 
and succeed once enrolled. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Respond, Innovate, 
Succeed, and Empower Act of 2017’’ or the ‘‘RISE Act 
of 2017’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:03 Jun 10, 2017
Jkt 069000
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2782.IH
H2782
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. PERFECTING AMENDMENT TO THE DEFINITION OF 
DISABILITY. 
Section 103(6) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1003(6)) is amended by striking ‘‘section 
3(2)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 3’’. 
SEC. 3. SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES TO 
SUCCEED ONCE ENROLLED IN COLLEGE. 
Section 487(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1094(a)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(30) The institution will carry out the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) Adopt policies that, at a minimum, 
make the following documentation submitted by 
an individual sufficient to establish that such 
individual is an individual with a disability: 
‘‘(i) Documentation that the indi-
vidual has had an individualized education 
program (IEP) in accordance with section 
614(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act, including an IEP that may 
not be current on the date of the deter-
mination that the individual has a dis-
ability. The institution may ask for addi-
tional documentation from an individual 
who had an IEP but who was subsequently 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:03 Jun 10, 2017
Jkt 069000
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2782.IH
H2782
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
evaluated and determined to be ineligible 
for services under the Individuals with Dis-
abilities Education Act, including an indi-
vidual determined to be ineligible during 
elementary school. 
‘‘(ii) Documentation describing serv-
ices or accommodations provided to the in-
dividual pursuant to section 504 of the Re-
habilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794) 
(commonly referred to as a ‘Section 504 
plan’). 
‘‘(iii) A plan or record of service for 
the individual from a private school, a local 
educational agency, a State educational 
agency, or an institution of higher edu-
cation provided in accordance with the 
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 
(42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.). 
‘‘(iv) A record or evaluation from a 
relevant licensed professional finding that 
the individual has a disability. 
‘‘(v) A plan or record of disability 
from another institution of higher edu-
cation. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:03 Jun 10, 2017
Jkt 069000
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2782.IH
H2782
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(vi) Documentation of a disability 
due to service in the uniformed services, as 
defined in section 484C(a). 
‘‘(B) Adopt policies that are transparent 
and explicit regarding information about the 
process by which the institution determines eli-
gibility for accommodations. 
‘‘(C) Disseminate such information to stu-
dents, parents, and faculty in an accessible for-
mat, including during any student orientation 
and making such information readily available 
on a public website of the institution.’’. 
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF FUNDS FOR THE NATIONAL 
CENTER FOR INFORMATION AND TECHNICAL 
SUPPORT FOR POSTSECONDARY STUDENTS 
WITH DISABILITIES. 
Section 777(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1140q(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘From 
amounts appropriated under section 778,’’ and in-
serting ‘‘From amounts appropriated under para-
graph (5),’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:03 Jun 10, 2017
Jkt 069000
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2782.IH
H2782
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(5) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this subsection $10,000,000.’’. 
SEC. 5. INCLUSION OF INFORMATION ON STUDENTS WITH 
DISABILITIES. 
Section 487(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1094(a)), as amended by section 3, is further 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(31) The institution will submit, for inclusion 
in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data 
System (IPEDS) or any other Federal postsec-
ondary institution data collection effort, key data re-
lated to undergraduate students enrolled at the in-
stitution who are formally registered as students 
with disabilities with the institution’s office of dis-
ability services (or the equivalent office), including 
the total number of students with disabilities en-
rolled, the number of students accessing or receiving 
accommodations, the percentage of students with 
disabilities of all undergraduate students, and the 
total number of undergraduate certificates or de-
grees awarded to students with disabilities. An insti-
tution shall not be required to submit the informa-
tion described in the preceding sentence if the num-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:03 Jun 10, 2017
Jkt 069000
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2782.IH
H2782
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
ber of such students would reveal personally identifi-
able information about an individual student.’’. 
SEC. 6. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
None of the amendments made by this Act shall be 
construed to affect the meaning of the terms ‘‘reasonable 
accommodation’’ or ‘‘record of impairment’’ under the 
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 
et seq.) or the rights or remedies provided under such Act. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:03 Jun 10, 2017
Jkt 069000
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H2782.IH
H2782
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS