By Ms. Balser of Newton (by request), petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1173) of Paula Besson for legislation to provide for an exemption from certain private business school regulations.  Higher Education.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PETITION OF:

Paula Besson

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In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.

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An Act relative to an exemption from private business school regulations.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1.  Section 1 of chapter 75D of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2004 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

Schools, programs, or courses shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter where the course of study is no more than 100 hours or 20 days in duration and for which students are charged no more than $1,000.  Such an exempted course is further defined as one that: 1) results in its own certificate or credential and is not part of a sequence of classes for which the enrolling organization awards any program credential or certificate; 2) does not include an opportunity or a requirement that students register for or make a financial commitment to a longer program in addition to the individual class; and 3) is not advertised as leading to any professional credential or certification unless the entity that awards the credential or certification indicates that the time needed to earn the credential or certification is 100 hours or less.