When enrolling in an institution of higher education, students with disabilities would not have to partake in additional diagnostic testing if their disability is already documented under a bipartisan bill proposed on Jan. 7 by U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Todd Young (R-IN).
“No student should have to jump through extra hoops or incur extra costs to prove their disability,” Sen. Cassidy said. “This common-sense legislation removes unnecessary barriers for students with disabilities and gives them the resources they need to succeed in college.”
The senators cosponsored the Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower (RISE) Act, S. 3589, with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) and lead original cosponsor U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH).
If enacted, S. 3589 would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide students with disabilities and their families with access to critical information needed to select the right college and succeed once enrolled, according to the bill’s text.
“This legislation takes an important step to set clear, consistent standards for people with disabilities in the college enrollment process, increasing transparency for students and families,” said Sen. Young.
The bill has garnered support from the National Center for Learning Disabilities, the American Council on Education, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, the American Psychological Association, the Autism Society of America, the Council for Learning Disabilities, EdTrust, and the Learning Disabilities Association of America, among several other organizations.
“Heading off to college is an exciting time, but for students with disabilities, it can also mean navigating barriers, unnecessary paperwork, and expensive tests to reestablish a documented disability,” said Sen. Hassan. “This common-sense, bipartisan bill will help ease the transition from high school to college for students with disabilities, clarifying that colleges should accept the proof that students used in high school to establish disabilities, saving both students and universities time and money.”
The measure has been referred for consideration to the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, which is chaired by Sen. Cassidy.