A Republican bill with 6 Democratic cosponsors · See all 11 cosponsors
Last activity — Held at the desk.
Passed one chamber, waiting for the other to take it up
Passed one chamber, and the other has not yet sent it to a committee or put it on its calendar.
The other chamber will hand it to a committee, place it on its calendar, or leave it where it is. Nothing has been decided, and a bill can sit here indefinitely.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- Passed Senate voice vote
- Awaiting House
The Senate by voice vote (members called out yes or no together): no senator's position on it was recorded.
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the RISE Act and amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to help students with disabilities succeed in college. It makes it easier for students to prove they have a disability when entering college by accepting various existing records like high school IEPs or 504 plans. Colleges are required to be clear and transparent about their accommodation processes and share that information publicly. The bill also authorizes $10,000,000 in appropriations for the National Center for Information and Technical Support for Postsecondary Students with Disabilities for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. Finally, colleges must report data on students with disabilities to federal data collections while protecting student privacy.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +8
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?
The bill mandates more transparent accommodation processes, provides clearer documentation paths, and funds a national support center.
- Scored +7
Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities?
The bill requires institutions to adopt clearer, more accessible documentation policies and transparent processes for students seeking accommodations.
- Scored +5
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
The bill facilitates better transitions into college for students with disabilities entering higher education.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
How the text last changed
Engrossed in Senate (11/9/2026), compared with Reported to Senate. Each change is on the Text tab.
The newer version of the bill removes several provisions related to documentation requirements for students with disabilities, institutional data reporting, and a $10,000,000 authorization of appropriations for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. It retains the short title of the legislation, known as the Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower Act or the RISE Act.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 3 allows colleges to accept standard documentation like a high school IEP or Section 504 plan to establish that a student has a disability. This is positive because it saves families time and money by not forcing them to pay for brand-new medical or psychological evaluations just to get college accommodations.
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Section 3 requires colleges to adopt transparent policies for reasonable accommodations and share them on public websites and during student orientation. This is positive because it ensures students and parents know exactly what support is available before choosing a school.
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Section 4 authorizes $10,000,000 for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for the National Center for Information and Technical Support for Postsecondary Students with Disabilities. This is positive because it provides dedicated funding to help support students with disabilities in higher education.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Section 5 requires colleges to submit data regarding students with disabilities to federal data collection efforts. While student privacy is protected, this creates a new reporting requirement for colleges that could potentially become a administrative burden.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill mandates more transparent accommodation processes, provides clearer documentation paths, and funds a national support center. Would students be better off under this? — The bill provides students with more critical information to help them select and succeed in the right college environments. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — The bill facilitates better transitions into college for students with disabilities entering higher education.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — The bill requires institutions to adopt clearer, more accessible documentation policies and transparent processes for students seeking accommodations.
- Education And Technology
- Does this make college cost less? — By improving information access and documentation standards, the bill helps students with disabilities navigate higher education more effectively.
The version one chamber actually passed
What changed from Reported to Senate
The newer version of the bill removes several provisions related to documentation requirements for students with disabilities, institutional data reporting, and a $10,000,000 authorization of appropriations for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. It retains the short title of the legislation, known as the Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower Act or the RISE Act.
Each change
- Section 1: Removed provisions that named the act the RISE Act, struck references to disability and college enrollment, and removed specific documentation requirements for establishing an individual with a disability using high school individualized education programs, Section 504 plans, Americans with Disabilities Act services, licensed professional findings, documentation from another higher education institution, or service in the uniformed services.
- Section 1: Removed requirements for institutions to provide explicit information about accommodation eligibility processes to students, parents, and faculty in an accessible format, during orientation, and on a public website, as well as provisions allowing institutions to establish less burdensome criteria.
- Section 1: Removed authorization of appropriations of a total of $10,000,000 for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 under information and technical support for postsecondary students with disabilities.
- Section 1: Removed requirements for institutions to submit key data related to undergraduate students with disabilities to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System or other Federal data collections, along with exemptions to protect personally identifiable information.
Written by an AI model from a comparison of this version’s text with the one before it, not by a person. .
- 11/12/2026
- Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Held at the desk.
- Received in the House.
- 11/9/2026
- Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S5376-5377; text: CR S5376-5377)
- 8/5/2026
- Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Cassidy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 543.
- 7/30/2026
- Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- 7/27/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/23/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/20/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/9/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/13/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/8/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/7/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 5 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
Lisa Blunt RochesterDemocrat · Delaware
Susan CollinsRepublican · Maine
Bill CassidyRepublican · Louisiana
Maggie HassanDemocrat · New Hampshire
Mark KellyDemocrat · Arizona
Angus KingIndependent · Maine
Timothy KaineDemocrat · Virginia
Tina SmithDemocrat · Minnesota
Eric SchmittRepublican · Missouri
Chris Van HollenDemocrat · Maryland
Todd YoungRepublican · Indiana