PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1994
PRINTER'S NO. 2416
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1686
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY O'MARA, HANBIDGE, SANCHEZ, MADDEN, HOHENSTEIN,
ISAACSON, SCHLOSSBERG, HARKINS, FLEMING, CIRESI, KIM,
D. WILLIAMS, SHUSTERMAN, KINSEY, DELLOSO, ROZZI, HOWARD,
T. DAVIS, WARREN, MERSKI, KEEFER, KUTZ AND TAKAC,
SEPTEMBER 19, 2023
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, DECEMBER 12, 2023
AN ACT
Requiring disclosure of mandatory fees by institutions of higher
education.
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 Know What You
Pay For - The Student Fee Transparency 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:
"Department." The Department of Education of the
Commonwealth.
"Institution of higher education." Any of the following:
(1) A community college operating under Article XIX-A of
the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the
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Public School Code of 1949.
(2) A university within the State System of Higher
Education.
(3) The Pennsylvania State University.
(4) The University of Pittsburgh.
(5) Temple University.
(6) Lincoln University.
(7) The Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.
(8) Any other institution that is designated as "State-
related" by the Commonwealth.
(9) An accredited private or independent college or
university.
(10) A private licensed school as defined in the act of
December 15, 1986 (P.L.1585, No.174), known as the Private
Licensed Schools Act.
(11) A COLLEGE ESTABLISHED UNDER ARTICLE XIX-G OF THE
PUBLIC SCHOOL CODE OF 1949.
(12) A FOREIGN CORPORATION APPROVED TO OPERATE AN
EDUCATIONAL ENTERPRISE UNDER 22 PA. CODE CH. 36 (RELATING TO
FOREIGN CORPORATION STANDARDS).
"Mandatory fee." Any of the following:
(1) Mandatory enrollment fee.
(2) Mandatory incidental fee.
(3) Mandatory student-initiated fee.
(4) Any other fee a student must pay as a condition of
attending an institution of higher education that is not
directly applied to a student's tuition, room or board fees.
A CHARGE IMPOSED BY AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO ALL
OF THE INSTITUTION'S STUDENTS, IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR COURSE
OR ADMISSION STATUS, FOR ENROLLMENT OR ATTENDANCE FOR ITEMS
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NOT COVERED BY TUITION, ROOM OR BOARD FEES.
"Online student portal." A secured internal Internet service
administered by an institution of higher education on which a
student of the institution of higher education can access
personal academic, financial and OR other information related to
attending the institution of higher education.
Section 3. Requirements.
An institution of higher education shall prominently display
a description of every mandatory fee charged by the institution
of higher education and shall publish the fee description on
each institution of higher education's publicly accessible
Internet website and online student portal prior to the term for
which the mandatory fee will be charged and included in any
tuition bill. The amount of the mandatory fee must be
accompanied by a description of:
(1) The general purpose of the mandatory fee.
(2) How the mandatory fee will IS EXPECTED TO be
allocated and used.
(3) How the mandatory fee will be collected, the
duration of time for which the fee will be assessed and the
beginning and end dates for collecting the mandatory fee.
Section 4. Reporting fees.
Beginning November 15, 2023 2024, and by November 15 of each
year thereafter, each AN institution of higher education shall
report to the department on the institution of higher
education's collection of mandatory fees during the prior
academic year. The report shall include:
(1) The total amount of mandatory fees collected.
(2) The amount of mandatory fees allocated to each use
or recipient. PUBLISH ON THE INSTITUTION'S PUBLICLY
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ACCESSIBLE INTERNET WEBSITE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION FROM
THE PRIOR ACADEMIC YEAR:
(1) THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF MANDATORY FEES COLLECTED.
(2) THE AMOUNT OF MANDATORY FEES ALLOCATED TO EACH USE.
Section 5. Reporting to the department.
Beginning on June 30, 2023 2025, and by June 30 of each year
thereafter, each AN institution of higher education shall report
to the department the measures taken to display the information
required under this act. PROVIDE TO THE DEPARTMENT A LINK TO THE
FEE INFORMATION PUBLISHED ON THE INSTITUTION'S PUBLICLY
ACCESSIBLE INTERNET WEBSITE AS REQUIRED UNDER SECTIONS 3 AND 4.
Section 6. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately. JULY 1, 2024, OR
IMMEDIATELY, WHICHEVER IS LATER.
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