Policy
Updated March 12, 2026Current Policy Landscape
35 states offer tuition-free community college to eligible students.
IWPR Recommendation
States should break down barriers to educational attainment and reduce soaring higher education costs by offering free community college—including tuition, fees, and books—for all residents.
Legislative Tracking: Current Sessions
arkansas
Enacted in a previous sessionSession has adjourned
california
Enacted in a previous sessioncolorado
Enacted in a previous sessionconnecticut
Enacted in a previous sessionIntroduced
Passed by 1 Chamber
Signed into Law
delaware
Enacted in a previous sessiongeorgia
Enacted in a previous sessionhawaii
Enacted in a previous sessionillinois
Enacted in a previous sessionindiana
Enacted in a previous sessioniowa
Enacted in a previous sessionkansas
Enacted in a previous sessionkentucky
Enacted in a previous sessionlouisiana
Enacted in a previous sessionmaine
Enacted in a previous sessionmaryland
Enacted in a previous sessionmassachusetts
Enacted in a previous sessionmichigan
Enacted in a previous sessionminnesota
Enacted in a previous sessionmissouri
Enacted in a previous sessionmontana
Enacted in a previous sessionSession has adjourned
nevada
Enacted in a previous sessionSession has adjourned
new-hampshire
Enacted in a previous sessionnew-jersey
Enacted in a previous sessionnew-mexico
Enacted in a previous sessionnew-york
Enacted in a previous sessionnorth-carolina
Enacted in a previous sessionnorth-dakota
Session has adjourned
oklahoma
Enacted in a previous sessionoregon
Enacted in a previous sessionrhode-island
Enacted in a previous sessionsouth-carolina
Enacted in a previous sessiontennessee
Enacted in a previous sessiontexas
Session has adjourned
vermont
Enacted in a previous sessionIntroduced
Passed by 1 Chamber
Signed into Law
virginia
Enacted in a previous sessionwashington
Enacted in a previous sessionwest-virginia
Enacted in a previous sessionwyoming
Enacted in a previous sessionSession has adjourned
Current Policy Landscape
14 states and DC have implemented protections for student loan borrowers. These include California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington.
IWPR Recommendation
States should extend many of the same protections that already apply to mortgage and credit card borrowers to student loan borrowers. States should also safeguard students from exorbitant interest rates, unfair fees, and the loss of records or payments, among other predatory practices.
Legislative Tracking: Current Sessions
arkansas
Session has adjourned
california
Enacted in a previous sessioncolorado
Enacted in a previous sessionconnecticut
Enacted in a previous sessiondistrict-of-columbia
Enacted in a previous sessionillinois
Enacted in a previous sessionkentucky
Enacted in a previous sessionlouisiana
Enacted in a previous sessionmaine
Enacted in a previous sessionmaryland
Enacted in a previous sessionmassachusetts
Enacted in a previous sessionminnesota
Enacted in a previous sessionmontana
Session has adjourned
nevada
Enacted in a previous sessionSession has adjourned
new-jersey
Enacted in a previous sessionnew-york
Enacted in a previous sessionIntroduced
Passed by 1 Chamber
Signed into Law
north-dakota
Session has adjourned
oklahoma
Enacted in a previous sessionoregon
Enacted in a previous sessionrhode-island
Enacted in a previous sessiontexas
Session has adjourned
virginia
Enacted in a previous sessionwashington
Enacted in a previous sessionwyoming
Session has adjourned
State policy or data requests?
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