§3129.5.  State tuition and fee policy; Board of Regents; study and formulate; legislative approval of authority to increase tuition or fees; implementation; reports

A.  The Board of Regents shall study and formulate a state tuition and fee policy which shall be applicable to each public postsecondary education institution and system in the state.  The policy shall be developed in cooperation and consultation with each public postsecondary education management board.  The Board of Regents shall take into consideration the cost of education provided by each type of institution, the proportion of such costs typically paid by students, the economic status of the citizens of the state of Louisiana, the overall rates of increase in public postsecondary education costs and tuition, the existing status of tuition and fees in Louisiana relative to its peer states, and other pertinent factors as may be determined by the Board of Regents after consultation with the postsecondary education management boards.  The tuition and fee policy shall establish a framework for the imposition of student tuition and fees by the respective postsecondary education management boards.  The delegation of authority to the postsecondary education management boards to establish tuition and fees in accordance with policies adopted by the Board of Regents pursuant hereto shall not be construed to authorize the Board of Regents to set a specific tuition or fee.

B.  Prior to the implementation of the initial increase in fees or tuition pursuant to such policy, the authority for the postsecondary education management boards to increase tuition or fees consistent with the policy shall be approved by the legislature by law by the favorable vote of two-thirds of the elected members of both houses of the legislature.  Such approval shall constitute compliance with the requirements of Article VII, Section 2.1 of the Constitution of Louisiana for any subsequent increases pursuant to the policy.

C.  The Board of Regents and each of the management boards shall report annually to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget by not later than February first of each year on the status of the implementation of the state tuition and fee policy.

Acts 2003, No. 1105, §1.