An Act To Improve Student Access to Postsecondary School Transcripts and Diplomas
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1838
Committee Amendment CA_A_S426 (Senate)
Amends: 20-A MRSA §10015

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A "to S.P. 656, L.D. 1838, "An Act To Improve 
Student Access to Postsecondary School Transcripts and Diplomas" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 4 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 4. 20-A MRSA §10015 is enacted to read: 
§10015. Access to transcripts and diplomas 
1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings. 
A. "Debt" means any money, obligation, claim or sum due or owing or alleged to be 
due or owing from a student. "Debt" does not include the fee, if any, charged to all 
students for the costs of providing a transcript or diploma. 
B. 
"Four-year postsecondary educational institution" means a public or private 
postsecondary school in the State that offers a bachelor's degree or other 4-year degree. 
C. 
"Two-year postsecondary educational institution" means a public or private 
postsecondary school in the State that offers an associate degree or other 2-year degree. 
2. Prohibition. Notwithstanding any provision oflaw to the contrary, upon the request 
of a current or former student, a 2-year postsecondary educational institution or 4-year 
postsecondary educational institution shall provide that student's transcript or diploma and 
may not condition the release of the transcript or diploma on agreement to a repayment 
plan unless the student owes a debt of $500 or more at a 2-year postsecondary educational 
institution or $2,500 or more at a 4-year postsecondary educational institution; If a 2-year 
postsecondary educational institution or 4-year postsecondary educational institution 
requires a student to agree to a repayment plan under this subsection, the 2-year 
postsecondary educational institution or 4-year postsecondary educational institution shall: 
A. Provide the student with the right to appeal the terms of the repayment plan: and 
B. Collect data on the reason for the student's request for the release of the transcript 
or diploma, including but not limited to: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 656, L.D. 1838 ( S- L/ Z l.e.,.) 
(1) A job application: 
(2) A transfer to another institution; 
(3) An application for financial aid; 
(4) Pursuit of opportunities in the military or National Guard; or 
(5) Pursuit of other postsecondary educational opportunities. 
A 2-year postsecondary educational institution or 4-year postsecondary educational 
institution may not require a student to make a payment on a repayment plan prior to 
releasing the transcript or diploma. 
• 
3. 
Uniform policy. 
A 2-year postsecondary educational institution or 4-year 
postsecondary educational institution that has more than one campus in this State shall 
adopt a uniform policy on the release of student transcripts and diplomas that is consistent 
across all campuses. 
4. 
Enforcement by Superintendent of Consumer Credit Protection. 
The 
Superintendent of Consumer Credit Protection within the Department of Professional and 
Financial Regulation may take appropriate action to ensure compliance with this section. 
5. Unfair trade practice. A violation of this section constitutes an unfair or deceptive 
act or practice in violation of Title 5, chapter 10. 
6. Rules. The Superintendent of Consumer Credit Protection within the Department 
of Professional and Financial Regulation may adopt rules to implement this section. Rules 
adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 
375, subchapter 2-A. 
7. 
Report. 
Beginning January 15, 2023 and annually thereafter, each 2-year 
postsecondary educational institution and 4-year postsecondary educational institution in 
this State shall submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over education matters on requests for the release of transcripts and diplomas. 
The report must include: 
A. The number of transcripts and diplomas released, disaggregated by those released 
to a student who owes a debt of: 
(1) Five hundred dollars or more at a 2-year postsecondary educational institution; 
and 
(2) Twenty-five hundred dollars or more at a 4-year postsecondary educational 
institution; 
B. The number of accounts in a repayment plan and the amounts still outstanding and 
status of the repayment plan; and 
C. The total number of requests for transcripts and diplomas disaggregated by the 
reason for the request, demographic information of students who request a transcript 
or diploma, if known, and the nature and age of the debt owed. 
The report may include a recommendation on the amount of debt pursuant to subsection 2 
over which a 2-year postsecondary educational institution or 4-year postsecondary 
educational institution may require a student to agree to a repayment plan.' 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" .f\ "to S.P. 656, L.D. 1838 ( S- L\ 2..,~ 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section 
number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment changes the prohibition in the bill on a postsecondary educational 
institution's refusing to provide a former or current student's transcript or diploma by 
specifying that, upon the request of a current or former student, a 2-year postsecondary 
educational institution or 4-year postsecondary educational institution is required to 
provide that student's transcript or diploma and may not condition the release of the 
transcript or diploma on an agreement to a repayment plan unless the student owes a debt 
of $500 or more at a 2-year postsecondary educational institution or $2,500 or more at a 4-
year postsecondary educational institution. If a student is required to agree to a repayment 
plan, the postsecondary educational institution is required to provide the student with the 
right to appeal the terms of the repayment plan and collect data on the reason for the request 
for the release of the transcript or diploma, including but not limited to a job application, a 
transfer to another institution, an application for financial aid, pursuit of opportunities in 
the military or National Guard or pursuit of other postsecondary educational opportunities. 
A postsecondary educational institution may not require a student to make a payment on a 
repayment plan prior to releasing the transcript or diploma. 
The amendment also requires postsecondary educational institutions to report annually 
to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education 
matters on requests for and the release of transcripts and diplomas. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 02/11/22 ~ae. 
LD 1838 
LR 2381(02) 
An Act To Improve Student Access to Postsecondary School Transcripts and Diplomas 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment'*' L S-l-{ lt12\ 
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs 
~ 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Limits ability to collect student debt - Postsecondary educational institutions 
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Requiring postsecondary educational institutions to release the transcript or diploma of a current or former student 
that owes less than $500 to a 2-year postsecondary educational institution or less than $2,500 to a 4-year 
postsecondary educational institution without requiring the student to agree to a repayment plan may limit the 
institution's ability to collect debt owed by the student. Information provided by the Maine Community College 
System indicates that of the 8,100 accounts with transcript/diploma "holds" at the end of fiscal year 2020-21, half 
were accounts with total student debt ofless than $500. Data provided by the University of Maine indicates that half 
of its 10,565 accounts with transcript/diploma "holds" are for accounts with a balance of $2,500 or less. 
Any additional costs to the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation to implement the provisions of this 
bill are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR2381(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1