FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.1167
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVELEWIS.
2146H.01I JOSEPHENGLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Toamendchapter407,RSMo,byaddingtheretoonenewsectionrelatingtocommercial
cheatingservices,withapenaltyprovision.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Chapter407,RSMo,isamendedbyaddingtheretoonenewsection,tobe
2knownassection407.2351,toreadasfollows:
407.2351.1.Asusedinthissection,thefollowingtermsmean:
2 (1)"Assignedtask",anytaskassigned,directed,orotherwisegiventoalearner
3byasponsororsuchsponsor'srepresentatives,theperformanceonwhichwillbe
4evaluatedforcreditincluding,butnotlimitedto:
5 (a)Writingatermpaper,thesis,dissertation,essay,orreport;
6 (b)Providingresponsesto,participatingin,orotherwiseengaginginanexam;
7 (c)Preparinganyotherworkproductinresponsetoanassignment;or
8 (d)Attendingclassesorotherinstructionalinteractions;
9 (2)"Assignment",anythinginwritten,electronic,recorded,pictorial,artistic,or
10anyotherformissuedbyasponsororsuchsponsor'srepresentativessettingforth,
11conveying,orsolicitinglearnerperformanceoforononeormoreassignedtasks
12including,butnotlimitedto:
13 (a)Materials,whetherpresentedonpaperoracomputer,settingforthproblems
14forthelearnertosolve;
15 (b)Questionsforthelearner'sresponse;
16 (c)Examcontent;
17 (d)Scenariostowhichthelearneristoreact;or
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 18 (e)Similartasks;
19 (3)"Confidentialexamorassignment",anyassignmentincluding,butnot
20limitedto,anyexamthatasponsorprovidestoalearnerunderconfidentialconditions;
21 (4)"Forcredit",forevaluationbyasponsororsuchsponsor'srepresentativesin
22connectionwithissuanceofanygrade,evaluation,degree,diploma,certification,
23certificate,credential,examscore,orprofessionallicense;
24 (5)"Learner",anindividualwhoseperformanceononeormoreassignedtasks
25willbeevaluatedforcreditincluding,butnotlimitedto,students,candidatesfor
26professionalcertificationandlicensure,testtakers,examinees,andworkforceskills
27trainees;
28 (6)"Organization",acompany,partnership,corporation,institution,
29association,body,statedepartment,orotherentity;
30 (7)"Prepare",toputintoconditionforuseorassistanotherindoingso;
31 (8)"Sale"or"sell",anytransfer,exchange,orbarter,inanymanner,forany
32considerationorbyanyagreement;
33 (9)"Sponsor",anyofthefollowing:
34 (a)Apublicschoolorprivateschoolinthisstate;
35 (b)Apublicornonpublicinstitutionofhighereducationoperatinginthisstate
36thatprovidesaneducationalprogram:
37 a.Forwhichsuchinstitutiongrants,awards,orotherwiseissuesanassociate's
38degree,bachelor'sdegree,graduatedegree,professionaldegree,oranyotherdegree,
39credential,certification,orcertificate;or
40 b.Thatisacceptableforcredittowardanassociate'sdegree,bachelor'sdegree,
41graduatedegree,professionaldegree,oranyotherdegree,credential,certification,or
42certificate;
43 (c)Anorganizationthatowns,sponsors,grants,awards,orotherwiseissues
44professionallicensestoindividualsororganizationsinthisstatebearingsuch
45organization'snameortrademarkandsignifyingcompletionofasetofrequirements
46associatedwithsuchlicense;
47 (d)Anorganizationthatowns,sponsors,grants,awards,orotherwiseissues
48credentialsorcertificationsbearingsuchorganization'snameortrademarkto
49individualsororganizationsinthisstateandsignifyingcompletionofasetof
50requirementsassociatedwithsuchcredentialorcertification;or
51 (e)Anorganizationthatowns,sponsors,administers,orotherwisedelivers
52examsbearingsuchorganization'snameortrademarktoindividualsororganizations
53inthisstate;
HB1167 2 54 (10)"Workproduct",anythinginwritten,electronic,recorded,pictorial,
55artistic,oranyotherformthatissubmittedtoasponsorshowingfullorpartial
56completionofanassignedtaskincluding,butnotlimitedto,atermpaper,thesis,
57dissertation,essay,report,orresponsetoanexam.
58 2.Noorganizationorindividualshall,forafeeorothercompensation,whether
59inwholeorinpart,withtheknowledgeorundercircumstancesinwhichsuch
60organizationorindividualshouldreasonablyhaveknownthatsuchworkproductorthe
61completionofsuchassignedtaskwillbesubmittedbyoronbehalfofthelearnerasthe
62learner'sownworkforcredit,performthefollowing:
63 (1)Prepare,advertisetoprepare,offertoprepare,orcausetobepreparedany
64workproductfororonbehalfofalearner;
65 (2)Sell,advertisetosell,offertosell,orcausetobesoldanyworkproducttoa
66learner;or
67 (3)Completeorotherwiseperformanassignedtaskfororonbehalfofalearner.
68 3.Noorganizationorindividualshalladvertisethesaleorotherdistributionof,
69orsellorotherwisedistribute,aconfidentialexamorassignment,anyportionthereof,
70oranydetaileddescriptionofthecontentsthereof,withtheknowledgeorunder
71circumstancesinwhichsuchorganizationorindividualshouldreasonablyhaveknown
72thatsuchactionsareinviolationoftherightsofasponsor.
73 4.Nodisclaimersorcontractuallanguagebetweenanorganizationorindividual
74providingservicestoalearnerunderthissectionshallexemptsuchorganizationor
75individualfrombeingdeemedinviolationofthissection.Suchdisclaimersor
76contractuallanguageincludes,butisnotlimitedto,statementsthat:
77 (1)Thelearnerwillnotuseanyworkproductincompletingallorpartofthe
78assignedtasks;
79 (2)Thelearnerhasnotbeenrequiredtocompletetheassignedtaskspersonally;
80or
81 (3)Theprovisionoftheworkproductorcompletionoftheassignedtasksby
82suchindividualororganizationhasbeenapprovedbythesponsor.
83 5.Noprovisionofthissectionshallpreventanyindividualororganizationfrom
84providingtutorialassistance,researchmaterial,information,orotherassistanceto
85learners,providedthattheprovisionofsuchitemsisexpresslypermittedbythesponsor
86andtheindividualororganizationprovidingsuchassistancehasreasonablebeliefthat
87theworkproductwillnotberepresentedasthelearner'sownwork.
88 6.(1)Actionsforviolationsofthissectionmaybebrought:
89 (a)Inthenameofthepeopleofthestate,bytheattorneygeneralorbythe
90prosecutingattorneyorcircuitattorneyforthejudicialdistrictinwhichtheviolation
HB1167 3 91tookplaceandanorganizationorindividualfoundinsuchactiontohaveviolatedany
92provisionofthissectionshallbe:
93 a.Subjecttoacivilpenaltyofnomorethanfivethousanddollarsperviolation;
94and
95 b.Atthediscretionofthecourt,guiltyofamisdemeanor,exceptthatifthe
96organizationorindividualhasbeenpreviouslyconvictedunderthissectionorastatute
97ofanotherstateofsimilarcontentandpurpose,violationofthissectionmay,atthe
98discretionofthecourt,bedeemedafelony;or
99 (b)Byanysponsoraggrievedbyaviolationofthissectioninastatecourtorasa
100supplementalclaiminfederaldistrictcourtagainstanoffendingorganizationor
101individual.
102 (2)Theprevailingpartymayrecoverthefollowingforeachviolationagainstan
103individualororganizationthatviolatesaprovisionofthissection:
104 (a)Liquidateddamagesoftwothousandfivehundreddollarsoractualdamages,
105whicheverisgreater;
106 (b)Reasonableattorney'sfeesandcostsincluding,butnotlimitedto,expert
107witnessfeesandotherlitigationexpenses;and
108 (c)Suchotherreliefincluding,butnotlimitedto,aninjunctionandpunitive
109damages,asthestateorfederalcourtmaydeemappropriate.
110 (3)Anycourtofcompetentjurisdictionmaygrantsuchreliefasisnecessaryto
111enforcetheprovisionsofthissectionincluding,butnotlimitedto,theissuanceofan
112injunctiontopreventongoingviolationsanddisrupttheoperationsofviolators.
113 (4)Inanactionbroughtunderthissection,acourtshallpreservethesecrecyof
114anallegedconfidentialexamorassignmentbyreasonablemeans,whichmayinclude,
115butarenotlimitedto:
116 (a)Grantingprotectiveordersinconnectionwithdiscoveryproceedings;
117 (b)Holdingincamerahearings;
118 (c)Sealingtherecordsoftheaction;or
119 (d)Orderinganyindividualorentityinvolvedinthelitigationnottodisclosean
120allegedconfidentialexamorassignmentwithoutpriorcourtapproval.
121 7.Theprovisionsofthissectionarenotexclusive.Nothinginthissectionshallbe
122construedtopreemptorinanyotherwaylimit,diminish,orimplytheabsenceofrights
123ofanyparty,publicorprivate,againstanyindividualorentityinconnectionwithanyof
124theactsdescribedinthissection.
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