§ 15-118

(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

(2) (i) “Debt” means any money, obligation, claim, or sum due or owed by a student to an institution of higher education.

(ii) “Debt” includes:

1. Credit extended by or on behalf of the institution that a student is obligated to repay; and

2. A nonfederal loan or debt agreement that is issued expressly for postsecondary education expenses and that is guaranteed by:

A. An institution of higher education; or

B. A private educational lender that is affiliated with an institution of higher education.

(iii) “Debt” does not include the fee, if any, charged to a student for the actual costs of providing a transcript.

(3) “Student” includes current students and former students of an institution of higher education.

(b) An institution of higher education may not:

(1) Refuse to provide a transcript to a student because the student owes a debt;

(2) Condition the issuance of a transcript on the payment of a debt;

(3) Charge a higher fee for obtaining a transcript because a student owes a debt;

(4) Provide less favorable treatment of a transcript request because a student owes a debt; or

(5) Use transcript issuance as a tool for debt collection.