Sen. Vitelli introduces bill to ensure Maine graduates have easy access to transcripts

AUGUSTA — On Wednesday, Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Arrowsic, introduced a bill to help ensure graduates in Maine have access to their own transcripts. LD 1838, “An Act To Improve Student Access to Postsecondary School Transcripts and Diplomas,” was the subject of a public hearing in the Legislature’s Education and Cultural Affairs Committee. 

“Students and graduates who owe money directly to their college or university often face the additional hurdle of having their transcripts or diplomas withheld until their debt is paid off. Transcript withholding, estimated to be practiced by over 90 percent of colleges and universities, is intended as an incentive for students and graduates to pay down their debt,” said Sen. Vitelli. “In reality, it’s a damaging practice that benefits neither students and graduates nor colleges and universities. Official records of one’s transcript or diploma are often needed when one is pursuing further educational or job opportunities.”

LD 1838 would prohibit postsecondary schools in Maine from refusing to provide a transcript or diploma for a student on the grounds that the student owes debt. It would also prohibit the conditional release of these documents on the payment of debt, charging a higher fee for these documents or otherwise providing less favorable treatment because the student owes debt, or using the issuance of these documents as a tool for debt collection. 

“In my opinion, schools already have a lot of leverage over their students as it is. To tie access to a student’s transcript or diploma based on an outstanding debt does not seem appropriate to me,” said Sen. Joe Rafferty D-Kennebunk, who serves as chair of the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee. “With the looming student debt crisis growing each day in our country, I think it would be wise for us to remove any barriers we can for students to be able to earn a living and pay their debts back. This is one way we can do that.”

“All too often, people will begin their postsecondary academic journey, but find themselves in situations that prevent them from moving forward. These factors are often financial, as the cost of education has risen exponentially over the past 20 years. When a person leaves a postsecondary program because they can’t pay their bill, it leaves them with no opportunity to advance. If they can’t advance, then they won’t be able to pay their bill. It is a catch 22 that does not benefit anyone,” said Monique Roy, with Maine Adult Education Association, in testimony supporting the bill.

LD 1838 also is supported by Pine Tree Legal, the Student Borrower Protection Center, Coastal Enterprises Inc., The Biddeford and Saco Chamber of Commerce, Maine People’s Alliance and the Penobscot Nation.

Sen. Vitelli is a longtime advocate for Maine students and graduates. She sponsored the Student Loan Bill of Rights in 2019, which created a registry of public lenders and created rights for borrowers to protect them from predatory lending practices. Last year, the Legislature passed a bill she sponsored to extend many of these rights to private student loan borrowers and their cosigners.

LD 1838 faces further action in committee.