SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2260        FILED ON: 7/10/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2155

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Bruce E. Tarr, (BY REQUEST)

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to limiting the cost of public higher education.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Travis Tkaczek

17 Parker River Dr. Byfield Ma


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2260        FILED ON: 7/10/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2155

By Mr. Tarr (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2155) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Travis Tkaczek   for legislation relative to limiting the cost of public higher education.  Higher Education.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act relative to limiting the cost of public higher education.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Subsection (i) of section 9 of chapter 15A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “state colleges and the community colleges” in line 90, the following words:-

Annual tuition and fee changes at state colleges and community colleges may not increase at a rate greater than the year’s rate of inflation plus one additional percent, unless an institution of higher education is making expansions to their campus or filing for bankruptcy, in which it may increase tuition and fees at a rate equal to the year’s rate of inflation plus an additional four percent.

SECTION 2. Subsection (b) of section 1B of chapter 75 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof, the following words:- ;provided, however, that any increases in student charges abide by the provisions set forth in subsection (i) of section 9 of chapter 15A of the General Laws.

SECTION 3. This act shall go into effect at the start of the 2018-2019 academic year.

SECTION 4. At the conclusion of the 2022-2023 academic year, a task force shall be established to study the effects of this act and make recommendations on the capped rate of tuition and fee increases for institutions for public higher education in the commonwealth. The task force shall file its recommendations, if any, with the clerks of the house of representatives and senate not later than the end of the following academic year.