A Democratic bill with 7 Democratic cosponsors · See all 7 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to issue guidance and recommendations for colleges and universities regarding the removal of criminal and juvenile justice questions from their admissions applications. It requires the Secretary, in consultation with the Department of Justice and community stakeholders, to provide training and technical assistance to help institutions develop aligned policies and procedures. The legislation also establishes a resource center to serve as a repository for best practices and supplemental research concerning individuals with criminal or juvenile justice histories in postsecondary education.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Guidance on Removing Admissions Barriers: Section 3 adds Section 124(a)(2)(A) to the Act, which recommends that colleges and universities determine whether collecting criminal or juvenile justice information is necessary for admission and consider removing these questions to help individuals successfully reenter society and pursue higher education.
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Delayed Inquiries and Explanations: Section 3 adds Section 124(a)(2)(C) to the Act, which recommends that schools delaying the request for criminal history until after an admission decision is made, or those providing notice and justification within 30 days if an admission is denied based solely on criminal history, give applicants a clear opportunity to explain their involvement and preparedness.
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Staff Training and Privacy Protections: Section 3 adds Section 124(a)(3)(B) to the Act, which provides training for admissions, financial aid, and campus staff on the effective use of criminal history data, the problems and biases associated with this information, and the appropriate privacy protections that must be put in place for students.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
The provided text of the bill does not explicitly contain provisions that outline specific negative consequences, burdens, or penalties for individuals or groups of people in the United States.
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.
No significant interests or groups are affected by this bill.
- 9/30/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 7 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
5 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Richard DurbinDemocrat · Illinois
Amy KlobucharDemocrat · Minnesota
Christopher MurphyDemocrat · Connecticut
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon
Elizabeth WarrenDemocrat · Massachusetts