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Bill

H 1451

An Act protecting public higher education student information

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Mike Moran

Establishes privacy protections for student data at Massachusetts public colleges, restricting collection, use, and third-party sharing of personal information without explicit consent.

Accompanied a new draft, see H4653
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Bill Summary · H 1451

Legislative bill overview

H 1451 is a Massachusetts bill designed to establish privacy protections for student information held by public higher education institutions. The bill restricts how colleges and universities can collect, use, and share personal data about enrolled students. It creates standards for data security and student consent requirements.

Why is this important

Student data breaches have become increasingly common, with universities holding sensitive information including Social Security numbers, financial records, and biometric data. This bill addresses real risks to student privacy and identity theft while setting baseline standards across Massachusetts' public higher education system. Clear data protection rules also reduce institutional liability and legal uncertainty.

Potential points of contention

  • Institutional burden vs. privacy protection: Colleges may argue compliance costs are high, while privacy advocates say protections are insufficient or don't go far enough
  • Third-party vendor access: Tension over how strictly to regulate data sharing with vendors (IT providers, lenders, marketers) without hindering legitimate educational operations
  • Student consent scope: Disagreement over whether broad institutional consent is appropriate or whether granular, per-use consent should be required for non-essential data uses

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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