HLS 15RS-275 REENGROSSED
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 for
6 applicability; to provide limitations; and 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, as they deem
16 necessary, the tuition, fees, and fee amounts to be charged to students enrolled in any
17 graduate, professional, or other postbaccalaureate program at each institution under
18 their respective management and supervision. The total of all tuition and fee
19 amounts charged to a student shall not exceed the tuition and fee amounts per full-
20 time equivalent student, as reported by the National Center for Education Statistics,
21 of national peers selected by the institution, which maximum amount may be
22 annually adjusted based on the most recent tuition and fee amounts per full-time
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HB NO. 168
1 equivalent student as reported by the National Center for Education Statistics and
2 adjusted to the current fiscal year using the Higher Education Price Index.
3 B.(1) The authority granted by Subsection A of this Section includes the
4 authority to impose proportional amounts for part-time students and for summer
5 sessions.
6 (2) The authority granted by Subsection A of this Section is not subject to
7 any restriction on the authority to set tuition and fee amounts provided for in R.S.
8 17:3139 et seq.
9 C. Each board shall establish criteria for waiving the tuition and fees
10 authorized in Subsection A of this Section in cases of financial hardship or
11 extraordinary merit as determined by the board. Information relative to such waivers
12 and the criteria and procedures for obtaining a waiver shall be made available to all
13 prospective students in a timely manner such that each student is informed of the
14 availability of a waiver prior to the student making a final decision concerning
15 attendance.
16 D. The authority granted by Subsection A of this Section shall apply for the
17 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 academic years only, and the authority to increase tuition
18 and fees pursuant thereto shall terminate on June 30, 2017.
19 E. No revenues generated by tuition and fees imposed pursuant to this
20 Section shall be used for any other purpose except for support of the university at
21 which such tuition and fees were collected.
22 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
23signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
24by the governor, as provided in Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
25vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
26effective on the day following such approval.
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HB NO. 168
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 Reengrossed 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
respective management and supervision. Provides that such authority shall apply for the
2015-16 and 2016-17 academic years only and that the authority to increase tuition and fees
pursuant thereto shall terminate on June 30, 2017. 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.
Proposed law prohibits revenues generated by tuition and fees imposed pursuant to proposed
law from being used for any other purpose except for support of the university at which the
tuition and fees were collected.
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.
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Limit proposed law authority to establish tuition and fees to the 2015-16 and
2016-17 academic years and provide that proposed law authority to increase
tuition and fees shall terminate on June 30, 2017.
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HB NO. 168
2. Add that revenues generated by tuition and fees imposed pursuant to proposed
law may not be used for any other purpose except for support of the university
at which they were collected.
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