RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
SB 32 2020 Second Extraordinary Session Fields
Prior law provided for the Louisiana Granting Resources and Autonomy for Diplomas Act
(GRAD Act). The GRAD Act provided public postsecondary institutions that achieve
specific, measurable performance objectives aimed at improving college completion and at
meeting the state's current and future workforce and economic development needs be granted
limited tuition and operational autonomy for achieving such objectives. Prior law further
provided that a public postsecondary education institution with clean financial audit findings
may exercise certain operational autonomies until July 1, 2020, if the institution's
management board approves the exercise of autonomies by any institution in the system.
Prior law provided for the following operational autonomies:
(1)Authority to retain funds unexpended and unobligated at the end of the fiscal year for
use at the institution's discretion.
(2)Authority to identify and dispose of obsolete equipment.
(3)Authority to be excluded by the division of administration from any table of
organization.
(4)Authority to participate in the higher education procurement code as established by
Louisiana State University and approved by the division of administration.
(5)Exemption from participation in the state's risk management program pursuant to
certain conditions.
(6)Authority to administer facilities projects funded with self-generated revenue, federal
funds, donations, grants, or revenue bonds.
(7)Authority to invest certain funds in certain bonds.
New law recodifies the authority for operational autonomies and removes the "sunset" date
for such authority.
New law expands the autonomy to use unexpended and unobligated funds of the fiscal year
for use at the institution's discretion. Requires that no later than October first of each year
each management board is to report to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget the
amount of unexpended and unobligated funds retained by each institution by means of
finance from the prior fiscal year.
New law authorizes cooperative procurement under the higher education procurement code
for institutions within a system.
Effective upon signature of the governor (October 28, 2020).
(Adds R.S. 17:3393)