DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 129 Original 2015 Regular Session Jefferson
Abstract: Authorizes the reduction of undergraduate tuition and fees at the state's historically black
colleges and universities and recognizes this reduction for purposes of meeting certain
requirements under the GRAD Act.
Present law grants to each management board the authority to establish tuition and mandatory
attendance fee amounts applicable to nonresident students provided that the amount is at least equal
to the average amount of tuition and fees applicable to nonresident students at Southern Regional
Education Board (SREB) schools. Proposed law makes an exception to present law for public
historically black colleges and universities, providing, instead that the amount of tuition and fees
applicable to nonresident undergraduate students must be at least equal to the amount paid by
resident undergraduate students at the same institution.
Present law, the Louisiana Granting Resources and Autonomy for Diplomas (GRAD) Act,
establishes certain targets which, if met by an institution of higher education, results in the granting
of some operational autonomy and flexibility for that institution. One such target under present law
for historically black colleges and universities is adherence to a schedule of increases in tuition for
nonresident students to an amount not less than the average tuition charged to La. residents attending
public historically black colleges and universities in other SREB states. Proposed law changes
present law tuition and fee targets for undergraduate programs at public historically black colleges
and universities to an amount not less than the average tuition and fees charged to resident
undergraduate students at the same institution.
(Amends R.S. 17:3139.2(4)(c) and 3351(A)(5)(b)(i))