Bill Text: NJ A2088 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Prohibits public institutions of higher education from increasing resident undergraduate tuition by more than 2% over the prior academic year.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-16 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee [A2088 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-A2088-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
216th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2014 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman CHRISTOPHER J. BROWN
District 8 (Atlantic, Burlington and Camden)
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits public institutions of higher education from increasing resident undergraduate tuition by more than 2% over the prior academic year.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act concerning undergraduate tuition rates at public institutions of higher education and supplementing chapter 62 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, and except as otherwise provided pursuant to subsection b. of this section, a public institution of higher education shall not increase the institution's resident undergraduate tuition rates for any academic year by more than 2% over the institution's resident undergraduate tuition rates for the prior academic year.
b. The following exclusions shall be added to the calculation of the resident undergraduate tuition rate of a public institution of higher education:
(1) increases in amounts required for capital expenditures, including debt service;
(2) increases in pension contributions and accrued liabilities for pension contributions in excess of 2%;
(3) increases in health care costs equal to that portion of the actual increase in total health care costs for the budget year that is in excess of 2% of the total health care costs in the prior year, but is not in excess of the product of the total health care costs in the prior year and the average percentage increase of the State Health Benefits Program, P.L.1961, c.49 (C.52:14-17.25 et seq.), as annually determined by the Division of Pensions and Benefits in the Department of the Treasury; and
(4) extraordinary costs incurred by a public institution of higher education directly related to a declared emergency, as defined by regulations promulgated by the Commission on Higher Education.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the tuition rates at public institutions of higher education for the 2012-2013 academic year.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits a public institution of higher education from increasing the institution's resident undergraduate tuition rates for any academic year by an amount that exceeds 2% over the institution's resident undergraduate tuition rates for the prior academic year plus the following exclusions:
(1) increases in amounts required for capital expenditures, including debt service;
(2) increases in pension contributions and accrued liabilities for pension contributions in excess of 2%;
(3) increases in health care costs equal to that portion of the actual increase in total health care costs for the budget year that is in excess of 2% of the total health care costs in the prior year, but is not in excess of the product of the total health care costs in the prior year and the average percentage increase of the State Health Benefits Program; and
(4) extraordinary costs incurred by a public institution of higher education directly related to a declared emergency.
