HLS 15RS-636 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 171
BY REPRESENTATIVE JEFFERSON
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES: Provides relative to performance agreements between the
Board of Regents and certain public historically black colleges and universities
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:3139.2(2)(a) and (4)(a), relative to performance agreements
3 between the Board of Regents and certain public postsecondary education
4 institutions; to provide relative to the terms of such agreements with respect to
5 remedial courses and developmental study programs offered at certain historically
6 black colleges and universities; and to provide for related matters.
7Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 17:3139.2(2)(a) and (4)(a) are hereby amended and reenacted to read
9as follows:
10 ยง3139.2. Performance agreements; objectives
11 Effective beginning with the 2011 Fiscal Year, any public postsecondary
12 education institution, including professional schools, may enter into an initial
13 performance agreement with the Board of Regents in order to be granted limited
14 operational autonomy and flexibility as provided in R.S. 17:3139.5 in exchange for
15 committing to meet established targets for the following performance objectives as
16 applicable to the institution as determined by the Board of Regents:
17 * * *
18 (2) Articulation and transfer. (a) Phase in increased admission standards
19 and other necessary policies by the end of the 2012 Fiscal Year in order to increase
20 student retention and graduation rates. This Subparagraph does not require and the
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 15RS-636 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 171
1 Board of Regents shall not require as an element of a performance agreement the
2 adoption of admission standards at Grambling State University, Southern University
3 and Agricultural and Mechanical College, or Southern University at New Orleans
4 that would prevent those institutions from admitting students who require remedial
5 courses.
6 * * *
7 (4) Institutional efficiency and accountability. (a) Eliminate remedial
8 education course offerings and developmental study programs unless such courses
9 or programs cannot be offered at a community college in the same geographic area.
10 However, Grambling State University, Southern University and Agricultural and
11 Mechanical College, and Southern University at New Orleans shall not be required
12 as an element of a performance agreement to eliminate remedial education course
13 offerings or developmental study programs.
14 * * *
15 Section 2. The provisions of this Act are applicable to agreements entered into after
16the effective date of this Act.
17 Section 3. 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 171 Original 2015 Regular Session Jefferson
Abstract: Exempts Grambling, Southern, and Southern at New Orleans from GRAD Act
requirement to eliminate remedial courses.
Present law (the GRAD Act) authorizes specific tuition and fee increases and operational
autonomies at public postsecondary education institutions contingent on those institutions
meeting performance goals established by agreement with the Board of Regents. Requires
that such performance goals include elimination of remedial courses and developmental
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HB NO. 171
programs and requires that admission standards be increased in order to increase retention
and graduation rates. Proposed law exempts Grambling, Southern, and Southern at New
Orleans from the requirement that their performance agreements require elimination of
remedial courses and developmental programs. Provides that those institutions shall not be
required to raise admission standards such that students requiring such courses would be
excluded from admission.
Proposed law is applicable to performance agreements entered into after the effective date
of proposed law.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 17:3139.2(2)(a) and (4)(a))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.