HB 2490

relating to student access to certain academic records held by a
public institution of higher education or career school or college;
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 51.9716 to read as follows:
Sec. 51.9716.  STUDENT TRANSCRIPTS AND DIPLOMAS.  (a)  In
(1)  "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
(2)  "Student" includes a former student.
(b)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, an
institution of higher education may not withhold a student's
transcript or diploma on the basis that the student has not
fulfilled the student's financial obligation to the institution if
the student's outstanding financial obligation to the institution:
(2)  has been outstanding for more than five years.
(c)  An institution of higher education may require a student
with an outstanding financial obligation to the institution of $500
or more to enter into a repayment plan with the institution before
releasing the student's transcript or diploma to the student.  The
institution must release the transcript or diploma to the student
on the student's initiation of payment under the repayment plan.
(d)  An institution of higher education may charge a student
a fee in connection with the release of a transcript or diploma.
The amount of the fee may not exceed the cost of materials used to
print, mail, or electronically send the transcript or diploma.
SECTION 2.  Section 132.062, Education Code, is amended to
Sec. 132.062.  STUDENT [WITHHOLDING] RECORDS.  (a)  A career
school or college may not withhold a student's transcript or
certificate of completion of training on the basis that [until] the
student has not fulfilled the student's financial obligation to the
school or college if the student's outstanding financial obligation
(2)  has been outstanding for more than five years.
(b)  A career school or college may require a student with an
outstanding financial obligation to the school or college of $500
or more to enter into a repayment plan with the school or college
before releasing the student's transcript or certificate of
completion of training to the student.  The career school or college
must release the transcript or certificate to the student on the
student's initiation of payment under the repayment plan.
(c)  A career school or college may charge a student a fee in
connection with the release of a transcript or certificate of
completion of training.  The amount of the fee may not exceed the
cost of materials used to print, mail, or electronically send the
(d)  For purposes of this section, "student" includes a
SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.