HLS 16RS-1055 ENGROSSED
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 586
BY REPRESENTATIVE STEVE CARTER
STUDENT/TUITION: Authorizes the public postsecondary education management boards
to increase tuition and fee amounts under certain circumstances
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 17:3351.21, relative to tuition and mandatory fee amounts for public
3 postsecondary education institutions; to authorize each public postsecondary
4 education management board to increase tuition and mandatory fee amounts if an
5 institution meets certain criteria; to provide for limitations, waivers, and
6 effectiveness; and to provide for related matters.
7Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 17:3351.21 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 ยง3351.21. Public postsecondary education management boards; tuition and
10 attendance fee increases; conditions; waivers
11 A. In addition to the authority granted by any other provision of law,
12 including but not limited to R.S. 17:3139.5, and in accordance with Article VII,
13 Section 2.1(A) of the Constitution of Louisiana, the Board of Supervisors of
14 Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, the Board of
15 Supervisors of Southern University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, the
16 Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System, and the Board of
17 Supervisors of Community and Technical Colleges may impose at an institution
18 under its respective management and supervision a one-time increase in tuition and
19 mandatory attendance fees if the institution meets both of the following criteria:
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 16RS-1055 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 586
1 (1) Its approved annual tuition and mandatory fee amount is less than the
2 average amount of annual tuition and mandatory fees for Southern Regional
3 Education Board peer institutions. The average amount shall be based on the most
4 recent Southern Regional Education Board publication of tuition and mandatory fees
5 for all institutions in the institution's Southern Regional Education Board
6 institutional category.
7 (2) Its graduation and freshman retention rates are at least equal to the
8 average graduation and freshman retention rates for the same peer institutions.
9 B. The increase in tuition and mandatory fees authorized by this Section:
10 (1) Shall be limited to an amount that raises the institution's tuition and
11 mandatory fees to, but does not exceed the average amount of annual tuition and
12 mandatory fees for Southern Regional Education Board peer institutions.
13 (2) May remain in effect after it is imposed but shall not thereafter be
14 increased.
15 C. Prior to imposing the increase in tuition and fee amounts authorized by
16 this Section, each public postsecondary education management board shall establish
17 criteria for waiving the amounts in cases of financial hardship as determined by the
18 board. Information relative to such waivers and the criteria and procedures for
19 obtaining a waiver shall be reported to the Board of Regents and shall be made
20 available to all prospective students in a timely manner such that each student is
21 informed of the availability of a waiver prior to the student making a final decision
22 concerning attendance.
23 D. The authority to impose the tuition and mandatory fee increase provided
24 in this Section shall include the authority to impose proportional amounts for
25 part-time students, for intersessions, and for summer sessions.
26 E. For purposes of this Section, "Southern Regional Education Board peer
27 institutions" shall mean those institutions as provided by the Southern Regional
28 Education Board for each institution's institutional category.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 16RS-1055 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 586
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 586 Engrossed 2016 Regular Session Steve Carter
Abstract: Authorizes public postsecondary education management boards to impose a one-
time tuition and fee increase if an institution meets graduation and freshman
retention rate criteria.
Proposed law authorizes each public postsecondary education management board to impose
at an institution under its respective management and supervision a one-time increase in
tuition and mandatory attendance fees if an institution meets both of the following criteria:
(1)Its approved annual tuition and mandatory fee amount is less than the average
amount of annual tuition and mandatory fees for Southern Regional Education Board
(SREB) peer institutions; provides that the average amount shall be based on the
most recent SREB publication of tuition and mandatory fees for all institutions in the
institution's institutional category.
(2)Its graduation and freshman retention rates are at least equal to the average
graduation and freshman retention rates for the same peer institutions.
Proposed law:
(1)Limits the increase to an amount which raises the institution's tuition and mandatory
fees to, but does not exceed, the average amount of annual tuition and mandatory
fees for SREB peer institutions.
(2)Authorizes the increase to remain in effect but prohibits subsequent increases.
(3)Authorizes boards to impose proportional amounts for part-time students,
intersessions, and summer sessions and requires boards to establish criteria for
hardship waivers and to report information relative to such waivers to the Bd. of
Regents and make it available to prospective students.
(4)Defines "SREB peer institutions" as those institutions as provided by the SREB for
each institution's institutional category.
(Adds R.S. 17:3351.21)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Education to the
original bill:
1. Remove prohibition on imposition of tuition and fee increase prior to Fall 2019.
2. Specify that the retention rate that determines an institution's eligibility for a
tuition and fee increase is its freshman retention rate.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.