2513-S2 AMH VANW ALLI 030

2SHB 2513 - H AMD 1436

By Representative Van Werven

NOT ADOPTED 02/17/2020

Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

"NEW SECTION. Sec. A new section is added to chapter 28B.10 RCW to read as follows:

Institutions of higher education, in consultation with the student achievement council, shall report to the governor and the higher education committees of the legislature in accordance with RCW 43.01.036 before December 1, 2022, on transcript and registration holds used as debt collection tools, including:

(1) Data on the following:

(a) Each institution's policy on when transcript and registration holds are used, including the time frames and amounts for which holds are to be used and the lowest amount for which an institution assigns a debt to a third-party collection agency;

(b) The actual lowest amount of debt for which an institution withholds official transcripts and registration privileges;

(d) The categories of debt for which transcripts and registration privileges were withheld, including the average amount of debt for each category;

(e) The average past-due time period for debts in which transcripts and registration privileges were withheld;

(f) The number of past-due accounts assigned to third-party collection agencies;

(g) The actual lowest amount for which an institution assigns a debt to a third-party collection agency; and

(h) The process and actions institutions use to attempt debt collection before assigning the debt to collections.

(2) A review and analysis of the data collected in subsection (1) to identify best practices for resolving debt collections:

(a) To encourage the most favorable outcomes for students; and

(b) That use third-party debt collections as a last resort."

Correct the title.

EFFECT:

Removes Section 1 which limited the ability of institutions of higher education to withhold transcripts and registration privileges as tools for debt collection.

Changes the reporting requirement in the following ways:

oIncludes processes and actions institutions use to attempt debt collection;

oChanges the report from annually to one time due before December 1, 2022; and

oRequires institutions to consult with the Student Achievement Council and to review and identify best practices.

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