The House voted 95-7 to allow the management boards of the state’s colleges and universities to raise or lower tuition without the legislature’s approval.
The Manship News Service reports Senate Bill 80 by Sen. Dan “Blade” Morrish, R-Jennings, would let the boards of the LSU, the University of Louisiana and Southern University systems and the community and technical colleges to set their own tuition rates, if voters approve amending the state Constitution to do so.
The bill provides for the submission of the proposed Constitutional amendment to voters at a statewide election to be held on Nov. 8. For now, it will head back to the Senate, which voted 30-7 in favor of the bill on April 20, for concurrence on the House’s changes. The governor is not required to sign off on the bill.
Under current law, any tuition increase must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Legislature. Louisiana is one of only two states that requires a vote of the Legislature before raising tuition.
Rep. Thomas Carmody, R-Shreveport, who handled the bill in the House, says it’s time for legislators to give up the power to control tuition to experts.
Proponents for the bill criticized the current system of delivering higher education in the state, noting the Legislature has proven over and over it is not able to adequately fund higher education.
