An Act ensuring students' access to academic transcripts

This bill requires Massachusetts colleges and universities to provide students with their academic transcripts even if they owe money for tuition, fees, or loans. The law allows schools to withhold a student's grades or credits for a specific course only if the tuition and mandatory fees for that particular semester have not been paid. However, the bill explicitly states that schools may still refuse to issue a final diploma or degree if a student has unpaid financial obligations. The Department of Higher Education is tasked with creating new rules to ensure these requirements are followed across public and private institutions.