Establishes the removing barriers to higher education success act

New Section 5 requires the Education Department to establish and administer a statewide transition services program to help students with disabilities obtain accommodations at higher education institutions, including an electronic system for sharing special education records (with consent), use of student advocates, website information, and compliance with privacy laws.

Additional sponsors (Stirpe, Shimsky, Steck, McDonough, K. Brown, Maher, Sempolinski) were added to the bill, indicating broader legislative support for the expanded version.

New Section 6 requires the Education Department to conduct culturally appropriate outreach within 30 days of the effective date, including a webpage in the 12 most common non-English languages spoken by limited-English proficient individuals in the state, distribution of materials to graduating students with disabilities and their parents, and collaboration with other agencies.

New Section 7 requires the Education Department to submit annual reports to the governor, senate president, and assembly speaker detailing program participation numbers, assistance provided, the electronic sharing system, student advocate duties, and an evaluation of outreach with recommendations for improvement.

Section 3(2)(d) was changed from requiring documentation from a 'relevant licensed professional' to 'a relevant licensed or otherwise appropriately credentialed professional,' broadening the types of professionals whose evaluations can establish a disability.

Section 2 was expanded from a single definition to seven definitions, adding terms for 'accommodation,' 'individualized education program (IEP),' 'Section 504 plan,' 'transition services,' 'student with a disability,' and 'student advocate' (an advocate designated by the Education Department who is not a pedagogical employee).

The effective date was delayed from January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2028, giving agencies two additional years to implement the new transition services program and outreach requirements.