Five years after California outlawed withholding transcripts to collect student debts, a UC Merced survey found 24 of the state’s 115 community colleges still listed transcript holds on their websites. Researchers say the remaining website language is a communications and compliance failure, even as most campuses tell state officials they have adjusted practices to comply with the 2020 law. Advocates warn that misleading website notices could deter students from transferring or pursuing jobs and raise questions about institutional knowledge of the statute. The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office has asked campuses to correct public-facing materials and reiterated that withholding grades or transcripts for unpaid fees is prohibited. Registrars, bursars and legal counsels should audit policies and public communications to ensure compliance. The issue highlights the operational gap between policy change and campus implementation — and the potential downstream impact on student mobility and workforce credentialing.