EDUCATION DEBT COLLECTION

Creates the Education Debt Collection Practices Act. For the purpose of debt collection, provides that an institution of higher education (including an institution to which the Private Business and Vocational Schools Act of 2012 applies and a person engaged in the business of providing postsecondary education to a person located in this State, regardless of whether the person has obtained authorization from the Board of Higher Education to operate in this State or is accredited) may not (i) refuse to provide an official transcript on the grounds that a current or former student owes a debt to the institution, (ii) condition the provision of an official transcript on the payment of a debt, other than a fee charged to provide the official transcript, (iii) charge a higher fee for obtaining an official transcript or provide less than favorable treatment of a request for an official transcript because a current or former student owes a debt, or (iv) use the issuance of an official transcript as a tool for debt collection. Effective immediately.