HLS 15RS-275 ENGROSSED
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 168
BY REPRESENTATIVE CARTER
STUDENT/TUITION: Provides relative to tuition and fees for postbaccalaureate programs
at public colleges and universities
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 17:3351.20, relative to tuition and fees for graduate, professional, and other
3 postbaccalaureate programs at public postsecondary education institutions; to
4 authorize certain public postsecondary education management boards to adjust
5 tuition, fees, and fee amounts; charged for such programs; to provide limitations; and
6 to provide for related matters.
7Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 17:3351.20 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 ยง3351.20. Adjustments of tuition and fees for postbaccalaureate programs
10 A. In addition to any other provision of law authorizing tuition and fee
11 amounts for postsecondary education programs and in accordance with Article VII,
12 Section 2.1 of the Constitution of Louisiana, the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana
13 State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, the Board of Supervisors
14 of Southern University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, and the Board of
15 Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System may adjust, whenever and
16 however they deem necessary, the tuition, fees, and fee amounts to be charged to
17 students enrolled in any graduate, professional, or other postbaccalaureate program
18 at each institution under their respective management and supervision. The total of
19 all tuition and fee amounts charged to a student shall not exceed the tuition and fee
20 amounts per full time equivalent student, as reported by the National Center for
21 Education Statistics, of national peers selected by the institution, which maximum
22 amount may be annually adjusted based on the most recent tuition and fee amounts
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HB NO. 168
1 per full time equivalent student as reported by the National Center for Education
2 Statistics and adjusted to the current fiscal year using the Higher Education Price
3 Index.
4 B.(1) The authority granted by Subsection A of this Section includes the
5 authority to impose proportional amounts for part-time students and for summer
6 sessions.
7 (2) The authority granted by Subsection A of this Section is not subject to
8 any restriction on the authority to set tuition and fee amounts provided for in R.S.
9 17:3139 et seq.
10 C. Each board shall establish criteria for waiving the tuition and fees
11 authorized in Subsection A of this Section in cases of financial hardship or
12 extraordinary merit as determined by the board. Information relative to such waivers
13 and the criteria and procedures for obtaining a waiver shall be made available to all
14 prospective students in a timely manner such that each student is informed of the
15 availability of a waiver prior to the student making a final decision concerning
16 attendance.
17 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
18signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
19by the governor, as provided in Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
20vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
21effective 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 168 Engrossed 2015 Regular Session Carter
Abstract: Authorizes certain public postsecondary education management boards to adjust
tuition and fees charged to students for graduate, professional, and other
postbaccalaureate programs.
Proposed law authorizes the LSU Bd. of Supervisors, the Southern Bd. of Supervisors, and
the University of La. System Bd. of Supervisors to adjust tuition, fees, and fee amounts for
graduate, professional, and other postbaccalaureate programs at institutions under their
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HB NO. 168
respective management and supervision. Further authorizes the boards to impose
proportional amounts for part-time students and summer sessions. Provides relative to
waivers of tuition and fees authorized by proposed law in cases of financial hardship or
extraordinary merit. Provides that the total of all tuition and fee amounts charged shall not
exceed the tuition and fee amounts per full time equivalent student, as reported by the
National Center for Education Statistics (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 adjust tuition and fees authorized by proposed law is not
subject to such contingencies.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 17:3351.20)
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 and annual adjustments to such amounts
based on national per full time equivalent student amounts, as reported by the
National Center for Education Statistics, of national peers selected by the
institution.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.