The House Education Committee approves legislation that would give Louisiana public colleges the authority to increase tuition by as much as 10-percent for all graduate, professional and specialized programs and any undergraduate program identified as high-cost. Lobbyist Norby Chabert (Sha-bear) testified in favor of the legislation. Chabert says the money generated from the higher tuition costs would be put to good use…
Cut 10 (08) “…to student ratios.”
The bill passed on an eight to three vote and heads to the House floor. Lafayette Representative Josh Carlson says if you raise tuition, fewer students will attend college.
Tuition increases are necessary, since the state no longer funds higher education to the level it once did.
The Louisiana House has approved legislation that would increase the amount the state compensates the families of police and firefighters killed in the line of duty from 250-thousand to 404-thousand dollars. Marrero Representative Kyle Green says a cost-of-living adjustment should be tied to the bill.
Cut 14 (08) “…inflationary increase.”
The bill’s author, Jeff Wiley of Ascension Parish, says he will look into Green’s amendment proposal before he brings the bill up for debate in the Senate.
A House bill requiring the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to publish prison data on its website advances to the Senate. The bill by Baton Rouge Democrat Barbara Carpenter passed in the House on a vote of 59 to 32. Data that would be required to be posted online in accordance with Carpenter’s bill include demographics, in-custody deaths and prisoner releases. No personal information protected under state and federal law would be released.