HLS 15RS-754 ENGROSSED
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 152
BY REPRESENTATIVE BROADWATER
STUDENT/TUITION: Provides relative to mandatory fees charged to students at public
postsecondary education institutions
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 17:3351.20, relative to fees charged to students at public postsecondary
3 education institutions; to authorize the postsecondary education management boards
4 to establish such fees and adjust fee amounts; to provide limitations; and to provide
5 for related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 17:3351.20 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 ยง3351.20. Mandatory fees
9 A.(1) In addition to the authority granted by any other provision of law,
10 including but not limited to R.S. 17:3139.5, 3351.7, and 3351.8, and in accordance
11 with Article VII, Section 2.1 of the Constitution of Louisiana, the Board of
12 Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College,
13 the Board of Supervisors of Southern University and Agricultural and Mechanical
14 College, the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System, and the
15 Board of Supervisors of Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges may establish
16 at each institution under their respective management and supervision mandatory
17 fees to be charged to students enrolled at such institutions and may adjust the
18 amounts of such fees as they deem necessary.
19 (2) The total of all tuition and fee amounts charged to a student shall not
20 exceed the national average of total per full time equivalent student revenue from
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HB NO. 152
1 state appropriations, local appropriations, tuition, and fees as reported by the
2 National Center for Education Statistics by Carnegie classification, which maximum
3 amount may be annually adjusted based on the most recent full time equivalent
4 funding statistics as reported by the National Center for Education Statistics and
5 adjusted to the current fiscal year using the Higher Education Price Index. This
6 Paragraph shall not apply to the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center -
7 New Orleans, the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport,
8 or the Southern University Law Center.
9 (3) The total of all tuition and fee amounts charged to a student enrolled in
10 the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - New Orleans, the Louisiana
11 State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport, or the Southern University
12 Law Center shall not exceed the tuition and fee amounts per full time equivalent
13 student, as reported by the National Center for Education Statistics, of national peers
14 selected by the institution, which maximum amount may be annually adjusted based
15 on the most recent tuition and fee amounts per full time equivalent student as
16 reported by the National Center for Education Statistics and adjusted to the current
17 fiscal year using the Higher Education Price Index.
18 B.(1) The authority granted by Subsection A of this Section includes the
19 authority to impose per credit fees, to impose differential fees for certain programs
20 exclusive of others, and to charge proportional amounts for part-time students and
21 for summer sessions.
22 (2) The authority granted by Subsection A of this Section is not subject to
23 any limitation on the authority to establish fees and set fee amounts provided for in
24 R.S. 17:3139 et seq.
25 C. Each management board shall establish a need-based financial assistance
26 fund at each of its member institutions. Each institution shall allocate to its fund
27 funds from its operating budget in an amount not less than five percent of additional
28 revenues realized by the institution from fees assessed pursuant to this Section. Such
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HB NO. 152
1 funds shall be utilized to provide need-based financial assistance to students at that
2 institution who are eligible to receive a Pell Grant.
3 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
4signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
5by the governor, as provided in Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
6vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
7effective on the day following such approval.
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 152 Engrossed 2015 Regular Session Broadwater
Abstract: Authorizes the public postsecondary education management to establish and
adjust fees charged to students.
Proposed law authorizes the public postsecondary education management boards to establish
fees and adjust fee amounts at institutions under their respective management and
supervision. Provides that such authority specifically includes authority to impose per credit
fees and differential fees for certain programs and to charge proportional amounts for part-
time students and summer sessions. Provides that except for the LSU Health Sciences
Centers and the Southern University Law Center, the total of all tuition and fee amounts
shall not exceed the national average of total per full time equivalent student revenue from
state appropriations, local appropriations, tuition, and fees as reported by the National Center
for Education Statistics (NCES) by Carnegie classification, which maximum amount may
be annually adjusted based on the most recent full time equivalent funding statistics as
reported by the NCES and adjusted to the current fiscal year using the Higher Education
Price Index. Provides that the total of all tuition and fee amounts charged to a student
enrolled in the LSU Health Sciences Centers and the Southern University Law Center shall
not exceed the tuition and fee amounts per full time equivalent student, as reported by the
NCES, of national peers selected by the institution, which maximum amount may be
annually adjusted based on the most recent tuition and fee amounts per full time equivalent
student as reported by the NCES and adjusted to the current fiscal year using the Higher
Education Price Index.
Present law (R.S. 17:3139 et seq. - the GRAD Act), authorizes specific tuition and fee
increases at public postsecondary education institutions contingent on those institutions
meeting performance goals established by agreement with the Board of Regents. Proposed
law provides that the authority to establish and adjust fees as authorized by proposed law is
not subject to such contingencies.
Proposed law requires each institution to allocate not less than 5% of additional revenues
realized pursuant to proposed law to provide need-based financial assistance to students who
are eligible to receive a Pell Grant.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 17:3351.20)
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HB NO. 152
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Education to the
original bill:
1. Limit total tuition and fee amounts based on certain national per full time
equivalent student averages and amounts as reported by the National Center for
Education Statistics.
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