Req. No. 7008 Page 1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA 1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023) HOUSE BILL 2785 By: Munson AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to higher education; prohibiting state educational insti tutions from refusing to provide certain student transcripts; banning conditional release of transcripts; proscribing higher fees or less favorable treatment for certain requests; defining term; construing provision; providing for codification ; and providing an effective date. BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOP LE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3218.16 of Title 70, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: A. A state educational institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education shall not: 1. Refuse to provide a transcript of a current or former student on the grounds that the student owes a debt to the institution; 2. Condition the provision of a transcript on the payment of a debt, other than a fee charged to provide the transcript ; or Req. No. 7008 Page 2 3. Charge a higher fee for obtain ing a transcript or provide less favorable treatment of a transcript request because a current or former student owes a debt to the institution. B. As used in this section, "debt" means any money, obligation, claim, or sum, due or owing, or alleged to be due or owing, from a current or former student, but shall not include the fee, if any, charged to all students for the actual costs of providin g transcripts. C. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the institution to forgive or cancel a debt owed by a current or former student to the institution. SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023. 59-1-7008 MJ 12/13/22