LaValle Bill Banning Sale of Papers, Dissertations Via Electronic Means Passes Senate

March 23, 2015 – Senator Ken LaValle’s legislation banning the sale of electronic papers, term papers and dissertations passed the State Senate today.  Current New York State law bans the sale or purchase of dissertations and term papers but does not specifically indicate that papers obtained over the Internet or other electronic media would also be covered under the ban. Senator LaValle’s legislation (S2810) would remove this ambiguity and would assure that students or others providing such unlawful assistance would be eligible for prosecution.

Senator Ken LaValle said, “We need to close this loophole, so that students who perform the research and writing themselves are not compared to those who skirt the education process by purchasing  completed papers online.  My hope is that this year, the Assembly passes this bill, and sends it on to the Governor.”

Students would still be able to access research information through this media but sale or purchase of a term paper, theses, or dissertation would constitute a violation punishable, as in current law, by a fine of up to $1,000.  The Senate transferred the bill (S2405) to the Assembly for consideration.

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