Checked
Mel’s Law
H.R. 468, 119th Congress
- Status
- In committee
- Introduced
- 01/15/2025
- Cosponsors
- 6
- Latest action
- 01/15/2025
About this bill
- Official title
- Mel’s Law
- Sponsor
- Nydia Velázquez (D-NY)
- Introduced in
- House
- Policy area
- Education
- Committees
- Education and Workforce Committee
- Latest action
- Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Summary
Congressional Research Service, Introduced in House (01/15/2025)
Mel's Law
This bill requires institutions of higher education (IHEs) that participate in federal student aid programs to establish policies for awarding posthumous degrees.
Specifically, the IHE must certify that it has a policy to award a posthumous degree to a deceased student who (1) was enrolled in a degree program at the IHE; (2) died prior to completing such program; and (3) at the time of death, was in academic standing consistent with the requirements for graduation from such program (as determined by the IHE).
The bill prohibits accrediting agencies from taking into consideration the number of posthumous degrees awarded to deceased students by the IHE. (Under current law, an IHE must be accredited by an accrediting agency to participate in federal student aid programs.)
Actions
Newest first
- 01/15/2025 · House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 01/15/2025
Introduced in House
Subjects: Higher education, School administration, Student records.
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office, GovInfo Bill Status; Congressional Research Service summaries · Last updated 01/15/2025