Democrats Want to ‘Ban the Box’ Asking About School Disciplinary History on College Applications

Based on the recent trend of colleges and universities asking prospective students about their school disciplinary histories on their applications, a group of Democrats is supporting a “ban-the-box” bill to prohibit the practice during college admissions. The bill, HB 5339, is up for a second year after failing to pass in 2023. It would prohibit higher education institutions from asking for students’ school disciplinary history during the admissions process. In the bill, “school disciplinary history” refers to any record of a violation against a student in any secondary or postsecondary institution. The bill is currently before the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee.