HLS 20RS-1096 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 777
BY REPRESENTATIVE LACOMBE
HIGHER EDUCATION: Provides that certain graduate students shall be exempt from
mandatory student fees
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:3351(A)(5)(a) and to enact R.S. 17:3351.1(D), 3351.3(E),
3 3351.7(E), 3351.8(E), 3351.9(D), 3351.10(D), 3351.12(D), 3351.18(D), 3351.19(E),
4 3351.20(G), and 3351.21, relative to fees charged to students at public postsecondary
5 education institutions; to exempt certain graduate students from the payment of such
6 fees; to require each public postsecondary education management board to adopt a
7 policy providing for such exemptions; and to provide for related matters.
8Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 17:3351(A)(5)(a) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
1017:3351.1(D), 3351.3(E), 3351.7(E), 3351.8(E), 3351.9(D), 3351.10(D), 3351.12(D),
113351.18(D), 3351.19(E), 3351.20(G), and 3351.21 are hereby enacted to read as follows:
12 §3351. General powers, duties, and functions of postsecondary education
13 management boards
14 A. Subject only to the powers of the Board of Regents specifically
15 enumerated in Article VIII, Section 5 of the Constitution of Louisiana, and as
16 otherwise provided by law, each postsecondary system management board as a body
17 corporate shall have authority to exercise power necessary to supervise and manage
18 the day-to-day operations of institutions of postsecondary education under its
19 control, including but not limited to the following:
20 * * *
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1 (5)(a)(i) In accordance with any other applicable provision of this Paragraph,
2 determine the fees which shall be paid by students.
3 (ii) Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, a graduate
4 student who serves as a teaching assistant or research assistant shall be exempt from
5 payment of all mandatory fees imposed in accordance with this Section except for
6 tuition.
7 * * *
8 §3351.1. Technology fee; authority to assess; use of proceeds
9 * * *
10 D. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, a graduate
11 student who serves as a teaching assistant or research assistant shall be exempt from
12 payment of the technology fee imposed in accordance with this Section.
13 * * *
14 §3351.3. Academic excellence fee; Louisiana State University and Agricultural and
15 Mechanical College
16 * * *
17 E. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, a graduate
18 student who serves as a teaching assistant or research assistant shall be exempt from
19 payment of the academic excellence fee imposed in accordance with this Section.
20 * * *
21 §3351.7. Facilities use and maintenance fee increase; amount; waivers; limitations;
22 University of New Orleans
23 * * *
24 E. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, a graduate
25 student who serves as a teaching assistant or research assistant shall be exempt from
26 payment of the facilities use and maintenance fee imposed in accordance with this
27 Section.
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HB NO. 777
1 §3351.8. Facilities use and maintenance fee increase; amount; waivers; limitations;
2 Southern University at New Orleans
3 * * *
4 E. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, a graduate
5 student who serves as a teaching assistant or research assistant shall be exempt from
6 payment of the facilities use and maintenance fee imposed in accordance with this
7 Section.
8 §3351.9. Academic excellence fee; amount; waivers; University of Louisiana
9 System
10 * * *
11 D. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, a graduate
12 student who serves as a teaching assistant or research assistant shall be exempt from
13 payment of the academic excellence fee imposed in accordance with this Section.
14 §3351.10. Academic excellence fee; amount; waivers; Louisiana Community and
15 Technical College System
16 * * *
17 D. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, a graduate
18 student who serves as a teaching assistant or research assistant shall be exempt from
19 payment of the academic excellence fee imposed in accordance with this Section.
20 * * *
21 §3351.12. Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and
22 Mechanical College; Professional Program Fee; masters degree in business
23 administration; Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical
24 College
25 * * *
26 D. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, a graduate
27 student who serves as a teaching assistant or research assistant shall be exempt from
28 payment of the professional program fee imposed in accordance with this Section.
29 * * *
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HB NO. 777
1 §3351.18. Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and
2 Mechanical College; digital media program fee; amount; waivers
3 * * *
4 D. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, a graduate
5 student who serves as a teaching assistant or research assistant shall be exempt from
6 payment of the digital media program fee imposed in accordance with this Section.
7 §3351.19. Building use fee; amount; waivers; public postsecondary education
8 management boards
9 * * *
10 E. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, a graduate
11 student who serves as a teaching assistant or research assistant shall be exempt from
12 payment of the building use fee imposed in accordance with this Section.
13 §3351.20. Mandatory fees
14 * * *
15 G. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, a graduate
16 student who serves as a teaching assistant or research assistant shall be exempt from
17 payment of any fee imposed in accordance with this Section.
18 §3351.21. Fee exemption; graduate students
19 Each public postsecondary education management board shall adopt a policy
20 providing that a graduate student who serves as a teaching assistant or research
21 assistant shall be exempt from the payment of any mandatory fee except for tuition.
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 777 Original 2020 Regular Session LaCombe
Abstract: Exempts graduate students who are teaching or research assistants from the
payment of all mandatory fees except for tuition.
Present law provides that each public postsecondary education management board shall have
the authority to determine the fees paid by students. Proposed law provides that
notwithstanding present law, a graduate student who serves as a teaching assistant or
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HB NO. 777
research assistant shall be exempt from payment of all mandatory fees imposed in
accordance with present law except for tuition.
Proposed law exempts such graduate students from all of the following specific fees imposed
in accordance with present law:
1. Technology fee (all campuses) (R.S. 17:3351.1)
2. Academic excellence fee (LSU System, Univ. of La. System, & La. Community and
Technical Colleges System) (R.S. 17:3351.3, 3351.9, 3351.10)
3. Facilities use and maintenance fee at the Univ. of New Orleans (R.S. 17:3351.7)
4. Facilities use and maintenance fee at Southern Univ. at New Orleans (R.S.
17:3351.8)
5. Professional program fee at LSU (MBA program) (R.S. 17:3351.12)
6. Digital media program fee at LSU (R.S. 17:3351.18)
7. Building use fee (all campuses) (R.S. 17:3351.19)
8. Mandatory fees (all campuses) (R.S. 17:3351.20)
Proposed law further requires each public postsecondary education management board to
adopt a policy providing that such graduate students are exempt from the payment of all
mandatory fees except for tuition.
(Amends R.S. 17:3351(A)(5)(a); Adds R.S. 17:3351.1(D), 3351.3(E), 3351.7(E), 3351.8(E),
3351.9(D), 3351.10(D), 3351.12(D), 3351.18(D), 3351.19(E), 3351.20(G), and 3351.21)
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