THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

INTRODUCED BY PICCOLA AND DINNIMAN, MAY 27, 2009

REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MAY 27, 2009  

AN ACT

Providing for tuition controls on Commonwealth colleges and

universities and for duties of the Pennsylvania Higher

Education Assistance Agency; and making a related repeal.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Short title.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the Affordability

and Accountability in Higher Education Act.

Section 2.  Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Agency."  The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance

Agency.

Section 3.  Limitations.

(a)  Tuition.--Any increase in the tuition of a college or

university that receives a State appropriation may not be

greater than the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index

published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of

Labor Statistics, in July of the year in which the appropriation

is received. If a college or university fails to comply with

this subsection, any moneys appropriated by the General Assembly

to the college or university are subject to recovery by the

Commonwealth and shall be repaid by the college or university to

the State Treasurer.

(b)  Dual enrollment.--A college or university that receives

a State appropriation or an assistance grant under the act of

July 18, 1974 (P.L.483, No.174), known as The Institutional

Assistance Grants Act, must permit eligible high school students

to participate in a program of dual enrollment on a

space-available basis in accordance with regulations promulgated

by the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education

shall promulgate regulations under this subsection within six

months of the effective date of this section.

(c)  Independent colleges and universities.–-Any increase in

tuition of a student who receives a grant from the agency and

attends an independent college or university that receives an

assistance grant under The Institutional Assistance Grants Act

may not be greater than the percentage increase in the Consumer

Price Index published by the United States Department of Labor,

Bureau of Labor Statistics, in July of the year in which the

college or university received the assistance grant. If a

college or university fails to comply with this subsection:

(1)  The college or university shall be denied status as

an eligible institution under The Institutional Assistance

Grants Act. 

(2)  Students attending the college or university are

ineligible to receive an agency grant.

Section 4.  Agency duties.

The agency shall promulgate regulations that:

(1)  Ensure that each Commonwealth recipient of an agency

grant maintains a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or

higher, on a scale of 4.0, or its equivalent, as certified by

the college or university in which the student is enrolled,

to continue to be eligible for an agency grant.

(2)  Provide that a recipient of an agency grant may

receive a grant for no more than eight consecutive semesters

of undergraduate coursework.

Section 5.  Repeals.

(a)  Intent.--The General Assembly declares that the repeal

under subsection (b) is necessary to effectuate the provisions

of this act.

(b)  Provision.--Article XVI-B of the act of March 10, 1949

(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is

repealed.

Section 6.  Effective date.

This act shall take effect immediately.