S. 3107 – Court Legal Access and Student Support Act of 2023

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 12:27 PM UTC

The Court Legal Access and Student Support Act of 2023 stops arbitration rules from applying to contracts that students sign with colleges and universities. It also bars schools from forcing students to give up the right to sue, including any limits on the choice of law, jury trial, or venue. The bill affects all students and higher‑education institutions covered by the Higher Education Act. It takes effect one year after it becomes law.

Key Provisions

Chapter 1 of Title 9, which governs enforcement of arbitration agreements, will not apply to enrollment agreements between students and higher‑education institutions.
Defines an “enrollment agreement” as any contract where a student commits money to a school in exchange for a program of study.
Amends the Higher Education Act to prohibit institutions from requiring or enforcing any limitation on a student’s ability to bring a claim in court, including restrictions on applicable law, jury trial, or venue.
The law becomes effective one year after enactment.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text: CR S5146)

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

October 24, 2023

View full timeline

SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

October 24, 2023

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text: CR S5146)

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

October 24, 2023

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 3107 on the floor

1 Democrat

Sen. Richard J. DurbinD-IL · Oct 24, 2023

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Sen. Richard J. DurbinD-IL · Oct 24, 2023

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode

Raw Text PDF XML

Introduced in SenateIssued October 24, 2023

II

118th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 3107

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

October 24, 2023

Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. Fetterman, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Markey, Mr. Reed, Ms. Warren, and Mr. Whitehouse) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

To provide that chapter 1 of title 9 of the United States Code, relating to the enforcement of arbitration agreements, shall not apply to enrollment agreements made between students and certain institutions of higher education, and to prohibit limitations on the ability of students to pursue claims against certain institutions of higher education.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Court Legal Access and Student Support Act of 2023 or the CLASS Act of 2023.

2.

Inapplicability of chapter 1 of title 9, United States Code, to enrollment agreements made between students and certain institutions of higher education

(a)

In General

Chapter 1 of title 9 of the United States Code (relating to the enforcement of arbitration agreements) shall not apply to an enrollment agreement made between a student and an institution of higher education.

(b)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Enrollment agreement

The term enrollment agreement means any contract or agreement between a student and an institution of higher education under which the student makes a financial commitment to the institution in exchange for enrollment in a program of study at the institution.

(2)

Institution of higher education

The term institution of higher education has the meaning given such term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002).

3.

Prohibition on limitations on ability of students to pursue claims against certain institutions of higher education

Section 487(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(30)

The institution will not require any student to agree to, and will not enforce, any limitation or restriction (including a limitation or restriction on any available choice of applicable law, a jury trial, or venue) on the ability of a student to pursue a claim, individually or with others, against an institution in court.

.

4.

Effective date

This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.