I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6135 
To increase transparency and reduce students’ burdens related to transferring 
credits between institutions of higher education. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 17, 2012 
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California (for himself, Mr. HINOJOSA, Ms. RICHARD-
SON, Mr. POLIS, Ms. FUDGE, Ms. NORTON, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. BISHOP 
of New York, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, and Mr. KUCINICH) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 
Workforce 
A BILL 
To increase transparency and reduce students’ burdens re-
lated to transferring credits between institutions of high-
er education. 
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 ‘‘Transferring Credits 
for College Completion Act of 2012’’. 
SEC. 2. DATA REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) 
TRANSFER
COMPLETION
DATA.—Section 
132(i)(1) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
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1015a(i)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(AA) The percentages of degree- or cer-
tificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled 
at the institution who have transferred from an-
other institution and who obtain a degree or 
certificate within— 
‘‘(i) the normal time for completion 
of, or graduation from, the student’s pro-
gram (including the time spent as a 
degree- 
or 
certificate-seeking 
under-
graduate student at any other institution); 
‘‘(ii) 150 percent of the normal time 
for completion of, or graduation from, the 
student’s program (including the time 
spent as a degree- or certificate-seeking 
undergraduate student at any other insti-
tution); and 
‘‘(iii) 200 percent of the normal time 
for completion of, or graduation from, the 
students program (including the time spent 
as a degree- or certificate-seeking under-
graduate student at any other institu-
tion).’’. 
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(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect 
one year after the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 3. ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS. 
(a) TRANSFER
OF
CREDIT
POLICIES.—Section 
485(h) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1092(h)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub-
paragraph (A); 
(B) by striking the period at the end of 
subparagraph (B) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) to the extent practicable, in each elec-
tronic and printed publication of the institu-
tion’s course schedule published on or after 
July 1, 2014, in a manner of the institution’s 
choosing, for each course or program of study 
listed in the institution’s course schedule, 
whether such course or program of study is 
transferable for credit toward the completion of 
a degree at a public institution of higher edu-
cation in the State in which the institution is 
located.’’; and 
(2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting fol-
lowing: 
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shall be fully acceptable in transfer and credited 
as the first 2 years of a related baccalaureate 
program at a public institution of higher edu-
cation in such State. 
‘‘(3) EXCEPTION FOR TRIBAL COLLEGES AND 
UNIVERSITIES.—A Tribal College or University (as 
defined in section 316) shall not be required to enter 
into or otherwise participate in an articulation 
agreement required under paragraph (2). 
‘‘(4) RULE
OF
CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in 
this subsection shall be construed to— 
‘‘(A) except as provided in paragraph (2), 
authorize the Secretary or the National Advi-
sory Committee on Institutional Quality and In-
tegrity to require particular policies, proce-
dures, or practices by institutions of higher 
education with respect to transfer of credit; 
‘‘(B) authorize an officer or employee of 
the Department to exercise any direction, su-
pervision, or control over the curriculum, pro-
gram of instruction, administration, or per-
sonnel of any institution of higher education, or 
over any accrediting agency or association; 
‘‘(C) limit the application of the General 
Education Provisions Act; 
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‘‘(D) require an institution of higher edu-
cation to accept or enroll a student; or 
‘‘(E) create any legally enforceable right, 
including with respect to a guarantee under 
paragraph (2)(C), on the part of a student to 
require an institution of higher education to ac-
cept the student for enrollment or to accept a 
transfer of credit from another institution.’’. 
(b) ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS.—Section 486A(b) 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1093a(b)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘that meet the require-
ments of section 485(h)(2)’’ after ‘‘comprehen-
sive articulation agreements’’; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘comprehensive articula-
tion agreements’’ after ‘‘practicable)’’; 
(C) by striking ‘‘2010’’ and inserting 
‘‘2014’’; and 
(D) by striking the third sentence, includ-
ing subparagraphs (A) through (D); and 
(2) in paragraph (2), by inserting before the pe-
riod at the end the following: ‘‘and section 
485(h)(2)’’. 
Æ 
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