This week, Senate Appropriations began the markup process of the House Budget, passed last week on the House Floor. During the hearing, senators compared the Governor’s proposed $333.8M for higher education core funding versus the House proposal of $416.4M, which includes $8.4M for collaborative projects. The Senate proposed maintaining the collaborative projects as line items and funding those at $14.8M and left open for discussion the core appropriation and performance funds. Additional hearings are scheduled next week and any changes made to the House proposal will be sent to conference, where House and Senate members will come together for a compromise.
Representative Lyle Rowland presented House Bill 2649 to the House Budget Committee on Tuesday. This bill would change the cap on tuition increases at public institutions of higher education. Currently, tuition increases are capped at CPI, but HB 2649 would allow institutions to increase tuition by inflation plus an amount that would produce an increase in net tuition revenue no greater than the amount by which the state operating support was reduced in the previous fiscal year. President Choi spoke in support of the legislation, saying, “HB 2649 has the ability to help us find the relief that will make a big impact in our ability to deliver upon student success, research and creative breakthroughs and effective engagement and outreach.” The bill now waits to be voted out of committee where it will then be placed on the House Calendar for floor debate.
Reviewed 2019-08-05