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Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

AB 642

Died at session end Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: legal action against certain private postsecondary schools.

Colleges and universities Court — Procedure Fraud Fuel

  1. Introduced, stopped here
  2. Passes Assembly, not reached
  3. Passes Senate, not reached
  4. Governor signs, not reached
  5. Law, not reached

Unfamiliar terms? Glossary

What this bill does

Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill creates for students a statutory cause of action for fraud against private for-profit colleges.

Under current law, before a private for-profit postsecondary institution (proprietary school) may operate in this state, it must obtain approval from the Department of Safety and Professional Services. A proprietary school that violates this requirement is subject to a forfeiture of $500 for each violating day of operation. In addition, a student who attends a violating proprietary school may bring a civil action to recover fees paid to the school along with costs and reasonable attorney fees.

The bill allows a student to bring an action against a proprietary school on the basis that the proprietary school provided materially false, fraudulent, or misleading information to the student. A prevailing student may recover fees paid to the school along with costs and reasonable attorney fees.

Sponsors

Introduced by: Arney (D) , Bare (D) , Clancy (D) , DeSmidt (D) , Madison (D) , Miresse (D) , Phelps (D) , Sheehan (D) , Stroud (D) , Stubbs (D) , Tenorio (D)

7 cosponsors

Hesselbein (D) , L. Johnson (D) , Larson (D) , Roys (D) , Spreitzer (D) , Subeck (D) , Vining (D)

Full history

  1. Nov 7, 2025 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Clancy, Tenorio, DeSmidt, Arney, Bare, Madison, Miresse, Phelps, Sheehan, Stroud and Stubbs; cosponsored by Senators Larson, Hesselbein, L. Johnson, Roys and Spreitzer

  2. Nov 7, 2025 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Colleges and Universities

  3. Nov 21, 2025 · Assembly

    Representative Subeck added as a coauthor

  4. Dec 17, 2025 · Assembly

    Representative Vining added as a coauthor

  5. Mar 23, 2026 · Assembly

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1